GERMAN ONSLAUGHTS WEST

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 October 1941, Page 5

GERMAN ONSLAUGHTS WEST

Weather Conditions Appalling and Growing Worse ENEMY SOLDIERS WALLOWING IN MUD / SITUATION IN SOUTH STILL DANGEROUS LONDON, October 24. German attempts to break through on the Moscow front have been repulsed. Fierce fighting continues with the weather growing still worse. The latest reports from the Eastern front indicate little change in the general situation, though the Russians state that the situation in the south is still dangerous. Elsewhere the Germans are held. West of Moscow, Russian counter-attacks have checked the German break through and the enemy have been'driven back to their old positions. German parachutists have been wiped out. The weather conditions are appalling. German soldiers are wallowing in a sea of mud. The Germans have been forced to use planes on a large scale to bring up supplies to the troops. The roads are axle-deep in mud. The Germans are reported to have brought more reinforcements from the Leningrad front. The reinforcements include Finns and Rumanians. Some German regiments are said to have lost 60 per cent, of their effectives. It is stated that 305 planes have been lost by the Germans in fighting near Moscow. A hundred have been brought down during the last few days. According to “The Red Star,” the situation in the south is precarious on all sectors of the front. The enemy is making every effort to capture the most important industrial areas by attacks towards Rostov. At one point, the Russians were driven back to new positions. The Germans are throwing in fresh forces and positions frequently change hands. In the Crimean Isthmus, fierce fighting is taking place. At one point the Germans have driven a wedge into the Russian defences. In the Leningrad area the Russians are keeping up their counter-attacks. A recent German attack in the Lake Ilmen region penetrated the Russian lines, but after several days ’ .fighting the enemy was driven back, suffering 2,000 casualties.