CENTRE & SOUTH

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 October 1941, Page 5

CENTRE & SOUTH

NO ABATEMENT IN FURY OF CONFLICT many enemy attacks REPELLED. FAILURE TO MASTER RIVER . CROSSINGS. tjjy Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) LONDON, October 29. The German assault on Moscow continues with unabated fury, and the enemy have .widened the front on which they are attempting to find a weak spot in the stubborn defence line. The Russian counterattacks, which 'were reported to have been specially vigorous in the last few days, are continuing at some points. Simultaneously the streets of Kharkov are today a battleground on which Marshal Timoshenko’s forces are trying desperately to stem the invaders. A Russian report tells of 'fighting in the suburbs. The enemy are attacking in the heart of the Donetz area, and the “Red Star,” admitting that the drive has not yet been halted, reports the situation as critical. Mention of Volokolamsk, a town nearly 70' miles west-north-west of Mosc.pw on the, railway from the Rzhev .junction,, is made for the first time in Russian communique received early T today. It States: “On October 28 our { troops were engaged in fighting in the '' directions of Mojaisk, Malo Yaroslavets, Volokolamsk, and Kharkov. Attacks of German troops on our positions, in several sectors on the western (central) front have been repulsed by units of the Red Army with great losses to the enemy.” It is not clear whether the fighting at the new point indicates that the Germans have resumed their drive from Rzhev, or that they have thrust north from Mojaisk, but it would appear that this new thrust is an attempt to spread out still further the defenders’ forces. Comment by the Moscow radio confirms the impression that at least one spearhead of General von Bock’s attack toward Moscow is about 40 miles away. In the Malo Yaroslavets sector a big battle is going on across the Naro River, which runs about 40 miles south-west of Moscow. So far all the German attempts to gain a bridgehead across the river have failed. Another battle is proceeding for the Oka River near Kaluga, 60 miles southwest of MJoscow. Here the Russians are standing firm. Further south at Orel equally bitter fighting is In this sector the Germans are attempting to advance in small groups of tanks and infantry, but are being severely mauled by the Soviet air force.