THREAT TO CITY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 September 1941, Page 5

THREAT TO CITY

WHAT LOSS OF LENINGRAD WOULD MEAN RUSSIAN BALTIC FLEET MENACED. DIFFICULTIES OF CAMPAIGN FOR GERMANS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.55 a.m.) RUGBY, September 5. The greatest admiration is expressed throughout the Press foi’ the magnificent spirit of the people of Leningrad in face of what is recognised here to be a serious threat to the city. The Germans’have already suffered considerable losses, both in men and material, in forcing their way to the outer defences and clearly they will have to pay a very, very heavy price indeed for possession of Russia’s second city. Whether they are prepared to accept such sacrifices is not yet clear. The '‘Manchester Guardian,” describing some of the difficulties the Germans met and will continue to meet says: “Roads are neither many nor good in these regions and Germans have been complaining about the mud they find on them. Further, the Germans, like all experienced soldiers, are shy of forests and Leningrad is girdled with thick forests. Pakov. on the other hand, which the Germans left behind them, is quite open country. A look at Lakes Ladoga. Ilmen and Peipus on the map and their many tributary streams and marshes shows what a bad, cramped campaigning country it is. Once the Germans were held south of Leningrad their position would be dangerous, for as far as can be seen they have not pushed far enough eastwards to secure the flank of their thin deep thrust to the city against counter-attack from Valdai Hills direction. “Leningrad as a prize can be summed up simply," the paper states. "The loss of the base of Kronstadt on the island of Kotlin, thirty miles from Leningrad, would be the end of the Russian Baltic Fleet. Russia’s communications with the outside world through the ice-free port of Murmansk would also be gone, for the railway as well as the Baltic White Sea canal begins at Leningrad. The city has big armament, electrical, chemical and shipbuilding industries, whose surrender would strike ten per cent from Russia's total production.”

RUSSIAN SUCCESSES MORALE OF GERMAN FORCES LOW. SEVERE LOSSES INFLICTED ON NAZIS. S i ßritish Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.50 a.m.) RUGBY, September 5. News of a successful Russian counter-attack in an unspecified sector of the front is contained in a supplement to the midday Soviet communique, stating: “In fierce fighting our troops attacked the 263rd Infantry Division, who held the height of Bokovo and its approaches. In severe attacks our men took one village alter another and the German losses were very heavy. With the help of our artillery our troops reached the height of Bokovo. The morale of the German troops is very low. In one village our men came behind the German lines and the German soldiers fled without resistance. We took many prisoners and much ammunition. The German soldiers who were taken prisoners stated that in this fighting, which lasted six days, half the German officers were killed. In this German division, prisoners stated that they had lost 7000 men, killed, wounded and prisoners and the remainder of this division had been sent to the rear for reorganisation. News of further success by the Red Air Force, which the Germans claimed was virtually destroyed after the first few days of the war, is also contained in a supplementary communique which states: “In the central sector our air squadrons attacked a concentration of German tanks very successfully. The Germans lost 80 tanks, 60 armoured cars, 200 horses and 1000 men. On their return flight our squadrons met a German air squadron, destroying in the fighting which ensued four Messerschmitts and two Heinkels.”