GERMANS CLAIM CAPTURE OF SMALL PORT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 November 1941, Page 5

GERMANS CLAIM CAPTURE OF SMALL PORT

Russians Admit Difficult Position THE NEW OFFENSIVE AGAINST MOSCOW GERMANS MAKING VERY LITTLE HEADWAY LONDON, November 4. Though reports speak of big new battles on the Moscow front, most of the news of fighting in Russia comes from the Crimea. The Germans claim to have taken the small port of Theodosia, on the south-east coast of the peninsula about 50 miles west of the Straits of Kerch. A correspondent of the “Red Star” says the Germans, in their offensive across the Crimea, have captured some towns and threaten others. The correspondent says the position in the Crimea is very difficult, but the peninsula has not yet been lost. He estimates that the Germans have lost 90,000 men killed and wounded in their Crimean offensive. The Germans are saying that the fall of Sebastopol must not be expected soon, although two days ago they claimed to be within thirty miles of the Russian naval base. Further north, a message from Kuibyshev states, the Germans have launched another tremendous drive against the defences of the Don, but there is no sign that they have made serious progress or that the danger to Rostov has increased. West of Rostov the Germans are using strong forces of tanks. One Russian unit destroyed 50 tanks in a single battle. According to the latest review by the Moscow radio the Germans have gained no ground in their new offensive on the Moscow front except at Mojaisk, where they broke through the Russian defences, but were stopped. Elsewhere all attacks were firmly met and at some points the Russians have improved their positions. The Germans are still reporting the repulse of Russian counter-attacks in the Leningrad zone. Finland has still made no official comment on the Russian offer of peace or on Mr Cordell Hull’s warning.