HARD FIGHTING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 April 1942, Page 4

HARD FIGHTING

CONTINUES IN RUSSIA GENERAL INITIATIVE HELD BY SOVIET. NAZI HOPES & CLAIMS. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) (Received This Day, 11.55 a.m.) LONDON, April 5. Hard fighting continues at many points on the Russian front, where the Red Army, for instance around Staraya Russa and Viazma, is strong and determinedly as ever to squeeze pocketed Germans into a smaller compass. The Russians retain the general initiative, but the Germans have become more enterprising with counter-at-tacks, and even with independent raids where the ground permits. The, Germans are believed to be systematically probing the whole front with the object of establishing their opponents’ strength and possibly finding weak spots, without at present seriously attempting to break through anywhere or to shift the fighting zones forward.

Berlin spokesmen explain that these local operations form a cumulative preparation for the spring offensive, which is still many weeks ahead. Berlin, in estimating Russian casualties, dead, wounded, prisoners and missing, since the outbreak of war, at twenty million men, does not mention that the Germans, from the beginning of the war, have captured as prisoners', not only Red Army soldiers, but noncombatant civilians. The Berlin statement also makes no mention of the huge German losses.

The Oslo radio stated that 450 trains which carried German troops to Russia returned last week full of wounded. It added that several hundred ambulance trains monthly pass through Konigsberg from Russia. The “Sunday Times” says Russia has immense reserves for the spring offensive. The Russians are confident that whatever temporary reverses they may suffer in the coming months, the Germans will not achieve anything like their earlier spectacular forward drive.