NAZI DIVISIONS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 February 1942, Page 3

NAZI DIVISIONS

RETURNED TO EASTERN FRONT IN RESPONSE TO URGENT DEMANDS. IMPORTANT SOVIET CAPTURE ON CENTRAL FRONT. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) LONDON, February 3. The Stockholm correspondent of the “Daily Express” reports that 20 of the 25 German divisions withdrawn from the Russian front early in December for special training as storm troops in the coming spring offensive have been sent back to the Eastern Front following an urgent demand from Hitler’s generals for reinforcements to prevent a general Russian break-through. The Tass news agency says the whole railway line from the Donetz Basin to Moscow has been reopened. The first trainloads of Donetz coal have already ■ reached factories in the Moscow region. The recapture of an important place on the central front identified by the letter V is reported in today’s Moscow communique. The locality was taken before the Germans had time to destroy it and about 1000 Germans were killed. Both Moscow and Berlin speak of German counter-attacks. The Germans claim that these have been successful and that a number of villages have been recaptured. The Russians say the attacks were repulsed with heavy The evacuation by the Russians of Theodosia, in the Crimea, is announced in a Moscow communique. No reasons are given. The continued drain on German supplies as the Russians advance too quickly for them to be removed to

safety is shown in a supplementary Russian communique, which states: “At an important railway junction our troops captured 154 wagons loaded with supplies, and at Sukhinichi our troops captured 20 railway engines, 499 wagons loaded with military materials, 10 ammunition wagons, 108 lorries, 34 light cars, two tanks, and also other booty.”