MORE ADVANCES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 January 1942, Page 3

MORE ADVANCES

MADE BY RUSSIANS GERMANS ON MOSCOW FRONT IN PERIL. CAPTURED MATERIAL USED BY SOVIET TROOPS. LONDON, January 2. The latest official news .from Russia is of fighting on the whole front and a continued advance by the Soviet troops in several sectors. The Germans in the Mojaisk area, west of Moscow, are threatened on north and south. The capture of Staritza was announced last night, the Germans abandoning great quantities of arms and materials in their flight. A "Pravda” correspondent tells how captured material is being used quickly against the enemy. A train-load of tanks and another of ammunition were at once brought into use. On the Leningrad front, the Germans have been driven back another 20 miles in the Volkhov area. - PINCERS THREAT TURNED AGAINST GERMANS. ENEMY IN PRECARIOUS POSITION. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, January 2. The Red Army’s advance from Staritsa and Kalinin means that the German pincers movement designed to envelop Moscow has been reversed, and that the Germans in the Mojaisk area are now threatened. The latest reports say that the Russians are approaching Mojaisk, and that the Germans are retreating toward Viazma, the important railway junction about ,120 miles south-west of Moscow. The midday Russian communique denies the German reports of continuous bombing of Moscow, and says that no German aircraft have appeared over the capital during the past few days. “The Times” Stockholm correspondent says the German position on the central front is becoming more precarious as the Russian movement from the direction of Kalinin and Rzhev gains momentum. The German debacle northward of the Orel-Tula line can be described as greater than any suffered by the Russians during the cam-, paign. Operations on the Leningrad front have recently been distinguished by more wide-spread guerrilla exploits believedly harbingers of a more direct attempt to relieve Leningrad. IN THE CRIMEA ENEMY LINE OF RETREAT MENACED. ACCORDING TO SOVIET RADIO. LONDON, January 2. The Kuibyshev radio said that after the capture of Kerch and Theodosia, the Russians were advancing quickly and will be able completely to cut off the German Crimea army’s line of retreat. The Fascists will be wiped out to the last man. The Leningrad radio said that General Meretoskov's forces have libertted 10 populated points in 24 hours ending December 31, and also captured many tanks, lorries,- guns and 200,QOO rounds of ammunition. According to information reaching Berlin (another message states), the Russians have landed further troops at Kerch and Theodosia. Reinforcements have reached the remnants of General von Kleist’s army. He is preparing to make a stand between Taganrog and the river Kalminus, near Mariupol. General Pervushin, describing the landing at Theodosia, said the operation was undertaken during a fierce storm. The Russians approached Theodosia in darkness. Only when the Russians were actually landing did the Germans recover from their surprise and begin to offer resistance. They poured heavy fire at the Russians ships. The Russians jumped into the water quickly and reached the shore. The bulk of the landing party strove to reach the heights behind Theodosia, which were attained after seven hours fighting. By the end of the day the Germans, despite numerical superiority, were so worn out that they were compelled to retire from Iheodosia. The Luftwaffe hurled in dozens of planes, but was unable to sink a single ship. AT A HALT NAZI BOMBING OF MOSCOW. NONE DURING LAST FEW DAYS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.8 a.m.) RUGBY, January 2. A Soviet communique, after reporting continued fighting yesterday on all fronts, states: “It is necessary to refute a German announcement about a continuous bombing of Moscow. No German aircraft have appeared over the capital during the last few days.”