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RED ARMY
CONFIDENT
Nazi Thrusts
Awaited
"The Age" Special Correspondent ;
' : "and A.A.P. '
LONDON, May 7.
The -newspapers1' have seized on the
reported issue of summer equipment
to Marshal Timoshenko's army as an
Indication that a renewal . of the
Russo-German struggle is appreciably
nearer. . 7;
Botli Moscow and Berlin have re-:
lapsed into silence, about current pat
rol operations, but there Is a fresh
crop of boasts and rumors about the
preparations for. the coming storm.
A Berlin communique reports, a lull
on large sections of the Russian front
and local violent fighting on the nor
thern sector, in which the Russians
lost heavily. It, ad£ed: "We con
tinued. counter attacks with good re
sults In the.. Lapland-Murmansk
area." . /'' ; .- ' : '
Berlin radio speaks of ''feverish act
ivity". behhidthe German lines, while
ari Ankara correspondent reports; that
twelve' ' German.' mechanised divisions
and two nirilion _other7troops are con-
centrated.'or; are friiqyingjjap for trie
offensive. Thlsre'presentshalfof
Germany's armored strength and two-
flfths of her manpower. ; It; is expec
ted in Ankara that the offensive will
open on .May 20. Captain von Papen,
the Nazi Ambassador to Turkey, has
declared that the' Caucasus will be
overrun In August and that Turkey
will not be affected.
Moscow is equally confident. The
Moscow newspaper "lzvestia". disclQses
that the Germans are arming with the
latest tanks, bigger guns, more-', firing
points, arid stronger ack-ack and anti
tank units. The newspaper forecasts
that the Germans will again employ
massed panzers, and adds:— "The Red
Army : is steadily receiving increasing
quantities of tanks, planes arid anti
tank weapons, sufficient to crush the
panzer divisions. Britain and America
are aiding Russia more and more
daily, instiliing fresh vitality into the
Red Army."
A Moscow communique announces
that six German planes were destroyed
on Wednesday for the loss of five.
Russian, war ships in the Barents Sea
sank a 5000-ton enemy transport.
Moscow: Radio says: that guerillas
on the Bryansk front, after battling
against the Hungarian 200th Magyar
division for six days, liberated ; 25 in
habited places, routed three Magyar
battalions, burned three ammunition
dumps, captured : a large quantity of
booty, blew up a railway bridge and
set fire to ten railway carriages. .
The same guerillas recently wiped
out 410 Hungarians, then blew up
another railway bridge, mined a rail
way .for 15. miles, captured a supply
train7 and -routed a strong force of
Germans ' which were sent against'
them.' One hundred and7 seventy-
eight; /Germans .were, killed. Large-
scale guerilla operatlons in this area
continue.' -,
At Bryansky guerillas killed 400
men and captured five tanks from the
Hungarlaris. They are now. practising
to employ the tanks against the Hun
garians, y
R.A.A.F. officers who have been appointed to the staff of the Allied Air Force, under the Command of Licul.-Gcneral G. H. Brett, photographed with the new Chief of the Australian Air Staff, Air Vice-Marshal George Jones (seated), at R.A.A.F. head quarters yesterday. From Left to Right: Group Captain C. S. Wiggins (Director of Communications), Wing Commander A. L. Walters (Assistant Director of Operations), Wing Commander V. E. Hancock (Assistant Director of Plans) and Air Commodore J. E. Hewitt (Director of Intelligence). Help
R.A.A.F. officers who have been appointed to the staff of the
Allied Air Force, under the Command of Licul.-Gcneral G. H.
Brett, photographed with the new Chief of the Australian Air Staff,
Air Vice-Marshal George Jones (seated), at R.A.A.F. head quarters
yesterday. From Left to Right: Group Captain C. S. Wiggins
(Director of Communications), Wing Commander A. L. Walters
(Assistant Director of Operations), Wing Commander V. E.
Hancock (Assistant Director of Plans) and Air Commodore J. E.
Hewitt (Director of Intelligence).
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