DAMAGING ATTACKS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 December 1941, Page 5

DAMAGING ATTACKS

MADE BY RUSSIAN PARACHUTISTS LANDINGS IN ENEMY REAR. ROADS OF RETREAT BLOCKED. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) MOSCOW, December 29. The “Red Star” correspondent on the central front describes the landing of Soviet parachutists in the rear of the German forces. He says the parachutists, after their descent, destroyed telegraph and telephonic communication between enemy units, blew up bridges and blocked all roads of retreat. Enemy tanks, lorries and armoured cars seeking to bypass these wrecked bridges floundered and stuck in the snow, whereupon the parachutists, hiding in the woods, annihilated the German soldiers with automatic rifles and also set fire to and blew up lorries and tanks. Encountering a big column of German motorised units escorted by German tanks and armoured cars, the Russian parachutists allowed some units to pass, after which they attacked the centre and rear of the convoy with incendiary bullets. The Germans in the darkness could not make out their attackers and each end of the column opened fire on the other. These parachutists in nine days blew up 29 bridges, burned out 48 lorries, two tanks and two staff cars, destroyed a great quantity of ammunition and wiped out 400 Germans, after which they rejoined the advancing Red Army.