SOUTHERN CLAW

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 October 1941, Page 6

SOUTHERN CLAW

CHECK TO NAZI PINCER MOVEMENT RUSSIAN ARMIES NOT SURROUNDED. I SLAUGHTER OF GERMANS CONTINUES. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) LONDON, October 10. Denying that Marshal Timoshenko’s armies are surrounded, the “Red Star” quotes a message from the Orel sector, stating that the southern claw of the pincer movement against Moscow has been checked but the position there required consolidation. The Tass News Agency reports: In the past five days the Russians in the Ziazma sector, under General Boldin, destroyed 220 tanks and 140 lorries and annihilated between 7000 and 8000 German officers and men. Fierce fighting continues in this sector. After massing superior numerical forces the Germans are furiously attacking again and have succeeded in advancing at certain points. The Russians continue to inflict heavy losses. In the Viazma sector troops, under General Lukon, killed 4500 Germans. The “Red Star” describes frightful destruction at Novgorod. All the palaces and cathedrals have been destroyed by fire. Long before the capture of the city savage aerial bombardments of residential quarters destroyed district after district and only sixty houses are undamaged, the remainder being either destroyed or uninhabitable. All the window frames and doors were torn out to be used in German dugouts. Every store and shop was looted and the few inhabitants were left nothing purchaseable. GERMAN CLAIMS BREACH ON CENTRAL FRONT. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, October 10. A German communique states: We have further tightened the encirclements of the Sea of Azov, Bryansk and Viazma. On October 9 the 300 miles breach on the central front had been extended eastwards. We took prisoner 12,500 Russians. The German News Agency claims that a German advanced unit, which cut the road to Moscow in the Viazma area, cut off a large Russian motorised unit. German reinforcements formed an iron ring around this area, from which the Russians had no escape, and they were wiped out.” RUSSIAN EFFORTS GERMANS AT LEAST PARTLY HELD. STUBBORN REARGUARD ACTION. (Received This Day, 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, October 10. With no announcement during the day of positional changes on the central front, it seems that Marshal Timoshenko is at least partially succeeding in holding the Germans while attempts are'made to consolidate a new line of defence around Moscow and about a hundred miles from the city. “The Times”- correspondent on thq German frontier says the Russian tactics here consist of fighting stubborn rearguard actions while they establish new positions roughly on the line of Rjev, Viazma, Kaaluga, Mt Sensk and Novosil. Fighting on the Viazma-Bi.*y-ansk-Orel line is thus most important in gaining time for effective consolidation nearer Moscow and indeed Marshal Timoshenko’s capacity to defend the capital seems largely to depend on the success of these rearguard actions and a speedy withdrawal to new points. The Germans are already claiming that they have isolated Marshal Timoshenko from Marshal Voroshilov’s and Marshal Budenny’s armies but this seems premature and the Russians are fighting back fiercely in the Rjev area, to maintain northern contact and also are counter-attacking on the German right wing in the neighbourhood of Orel; with the dual purpose of keeping in touch with Marshal Budenny and relieving the pressure against Kharkov. His counter-attack will have the further effect of diverting the German forces to defend the flank of the German drive toward the Donelz Basin, between Orel and Kursk. Marshal Timoshenko’s chances here, as elsewhere, are unassessable with any accuracy. The Wilhelmstrasse apparently genuinely believes that the Russians have no first class reserves worthy of mention but the “Red Star” says new reserves are going into action and the best forces are en route to the front.

The “Daily Mail’s” Stockholm correspondent says Marshal Timoshenko already has received reinforcements of fresh troops, guns and tanks. The central drive against Moscow naturally will come into the limelight but it is obvious that the invaders are concentrating at least equal forces and energy in drives to Donetz and along the Sea of Azov, to the Caucasus, which is most important and possibly essential for Germany if she is going to keep up high-pressure fighting.