TERRIFIC BATTLE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 January 1942, Page 3

TERRIFIC BATTLE

RAGING IN CENTRAL CRIMEA GERMANS IN DESPERATE POSITION. MEAGRE HOPES OF RELIEF. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, January 14. The “Telegraph’s" Stockholm correspondent says a terrific battle is raging in the village vf Suja, 15 miles northeast of Simferopol in the central Crimea. The fighting appears brisker in the Taganrog region, but the German claim that their renewed withdrawal is being made because the Russians have landed west oj Taganrog must be regarded with reserve. Their withdrawal is more likely to be due to the Russians’ successes in the Crimea and the German fear that they will be unable to prevent the Russians gaining command of the Perekop egress. The Germans in the Crimea are in a desperate position; they are beset on all sides, with only meagre hopes of relief or reinforcement.

The Soviet High Command announces:

“On January 12, four German aircraft were destroyed. We lost one. “On January 12, the Soviet air force destroyed three tanks and more than 380 lorries with infantry and supplies, 245 ammunition cars, 17 guns and their crews, nine anti-aircraft nests, set fire to 56 railway carriages, blew up two ammunition dumps, and routed and partly annihilated one infantry regiment.”