FALL OF KERCH

Waikato Times, Volume 129, Issue 21582, 19 November 1941, Page 5

FALL OF KERCH

STRUGGLE FOR OIL MENACE TO CAUCASUS PROTECTION BY BRITISH United Pro -s A=sn.—E’ec. Tel. copyrigai (Received #ov. 19, 11.25 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 18 It is generally considered in Berlin that the fall of Kerch means that tlje struggle for Caucasian oil has begun, says a message from Stockholm. German military quarters state that the crossing of the Kerch Straits presents no serious problem and they anticipate that the British will take over the defences of the Baku oilfields, and although no reports have yet been received that British planes based in Iran are operating against the Germans this development is expected soon. The Berlin radio military commentator said that the German drive on Moscow is at a standstill. The Russians recognised in time the danger threatening Moscow and brought up fresh forces to man the outer defence ring, resulting in a heavy engagement, in which we are still involved. New Drive Resisted The Russians are sternly resisting the new German drive eastwards from Orel, in which two German tank divisions are participating. The Soviet commander was forced to withdraw his men under the first German attack, which began on November 13. The Germans, following up, captured certain villages. The Germans suffered heavily in these initial gains and the question is how soon their drive will lose its momentum. The objective of this thrust, which was accompanied by an attempt to move eastwards from Kursk, is obviously to reach the vital railway running from Rostov to Moscow, through Voronej. This bid to separate Moscow from the southern front is a corollary of the pushes in the Tikhvin and Tolkhov regions aiming to separate Moscow from the Leningrad front. The Red Star emphasises the danger of ihcs-e operations, and says it would suit Hitler’s purpose admirably if it split the present 1500miles front into a number of small fronts, each with its own specific objective. Plans of Hitler This would mean that Hitler could hold such fronts as we wished to keep quiet with a minimum number of men and so reduce the number of troops compelled to endure the hardships of the winter campaign in the open. Hitler simultaneously would not lose the general initiative on the Eastern front. Realising this, the Red Star affirms the necessity of compelling the enemy to freeze by wintering in the open fields. It adds: “It is wrong, however, to think that the winter itself might exhaust the Germans. It might make the scope of operations narrower, but it cannot halt the German offensive. Only Russian activity and steadiness can do that.” Held Up By Bad Weather While the mid-day Russian communique merely states that during the night Russian troops were fighting on all fronts, it appears that the intense cold is proving a valuable ally to the heroic defenders of Moscow, in front of which Colonel Bade admits to German listeners that the attackers are “held up by the adversities of the weather.”

All information reaching authoritative ’quarters in London goes to show that the Germans are suffering terribly. Very few are properly equipped to withstand the rigours of a Russian winter.

Life in Moscow, however, is proceeding normally and though the people naturally show a serious attitude there is no despondency. The food situation in particular is satisfactory. In the Crimea the German claim to have captured Kerch, while unconfirmed in London, is not regarded as improbable.

CONVOY’S SAFE ARRIVAL

CANADIANS IN BRITAIN FULFILMENT OF PLEDGE (official Wireless) (Received Nov. 19, noon) RUGBY. Nov. 18 Thousands more Canadians have arrived safely, in fulfilment of Mr Mackenzie King’s pledge that “every month would see more Canadians in Britain to share in the defence.” Canadian military headquarters adds that the new arrivals include field artillery and service corps units from the Canadian prairies. With them also came hundreds of airmen trained under the Empire Air Training Scheme. The convoy ran into heavy storms, but arrived safely at a British port without encountering a U-boat or sighting a hostile aircraft.

MR CHURCHILL

NO ADVANCE STATEMENT (Official Wireless) (Received Nov. 19. noon) RUGBY, Nov. 18 Mr Winston Churchill, in the House of Commons, said he saw no reason to make a further statement on the subject of ministerial coordination in advance of the general debate on man-power which will take place within the present month.

CATHOLIC VIEW

WORLD’S GREATEST EVILS United Press .\ssn. —Elec. Tel. Copyright) WASHINGTON, Nov. 18 The Roman Catholic bishops of the United States have issued a pronouncement stating: “Nazism and Communism are the two greatest i evils which would destroy all spiritj ual values. Christianity today is facing the most serious crisis since the Church came out of the catacombs.” The bishops pledged wholehearted support of the defence of the United States, and also called attention to the significance of the action of Pope Pius XI. in issuing encyclicals against Nazism and Communism within five days of each other.