GERMAN LOSSES

Waikato Times, Volume 129, Issue 21584, 21 November 1941, Page 5

GERMAN LOSSES

20,000 CASUALTIES BATTLE OF KERCH PRESSURE ON TULA (United Pres& Assn. —Elec. Tel. Copyrignt) (Received Nov. 21, 11.20 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 20 A Moscow communique states: The Red Army evacuated Kerch in an orderly manner, enabling the troops, all arms and every scrap of war material, in addition to valuable property to be removed before the evacuation. The German casualties in the Battle of Kerch were 29,000 killed, with the loss of 130 tanks, considerable war materi&l, vehicles and 40 planed. The Germans are preparing a fresh offensive on the Moscow front. The Izvestia reports that the German offensive against Tula was begun on November 18 and November 19, but was repulsed. Violent fightin is going on. The situation remains grave in some areas.

GERMAN LIES DENIAL BY RUSSIANS BETTER DEFENCE POSITIONS (Official wireless) (Received Nov. 21, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, Nov. 20 A Russian communique after stating that during last night Russian troops were engaged in fighting the enemy on all fronts, adds: “The German High Command has again issued a lie stating that Soviet troops have been evacuated from Kerch under pressure of the German advance and that the Germans inflicted heavy losses on the Soviet troops and on the ‘ Soviet Navy. This is a lie. “The facts are that the Soviet troops evacuated Kerch according to order by the Soviet High Command, in order to give our troops better defence positions against the invader. The evacuation was carried out in absolute order.” The sole news in informed quarters in London is of heavy fighting continuing and of local Russian counterattacks. i HURRICANE SQUADRON NEW LEADER APPOINTED PILOT WITH ONE ARM (Official Wireless! (Received Nov. 21, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, Nov. 21 i A fighter pilot who had an arm j shot on by a Messerschmitt cannon shell over Malta last March has been appointed to lead tile lamous Humcan bquadron in Britain. He has returned to the front line of the lighting Command alter snowing tiymg ski 11 not hampered by the loss | oi his arm. ! To prove this he spent six months in Africa flying the latest types of lighters. He put in more tnan 250 hours’ flying and by tne time hcreaened Britain was so used to flying witn an artiflcial arm that the medical board passed Dim as lit tor opci rational duties. . The squadron of which he has now been given, command lias destroyed more than 100 enemy aircrait in France. He himself lias | flown between 50 and 00 different types of aircratt. He fougi.. with the battle bomoer squadron in France early in the v/ar and alter the ‘all ot France was sent to Malta with tire ! Hurricane Squadron. For his work I in both these campaigns he was ! awarded the D.F.C. and Bar. j MENACE TO TjURKEY j NAZIS READY TO POUNCE lUnltef Press Assn.— Elec. Tel. Copyrigaw j LONDON, Nov. 20 The German foreign propaganda I chief, Schmitt, is visiting Turkey. Asked by journalists why he was ! there, lie replied, "Simply to visit.” ; General von List is reported to be : waiting in Bulgaria ready to pounce on Turkey, and thus seize the Dardanelles, while General von Runstedt’s plan is to lorce his way through the Caucasus to the Middle East. A Turkish newspaper reports that the Bulgarian War Minister has slated that the Bulgarian Army will be called on one day and is therefore j making preparations. The newspaper j adds that Turkey will not permit the ! use of her territoiy as a base for j operations. i Another Turkish newspaper says I it can be deduced that the war is 1 turning to Germany’s disadvantage, j "If the small Bulgarian Army has to ] be made to light for Germany,” r. I adds, "it can only mean that the j Germans qre in a tough spot.”