The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-08-21
Germany Claims Big
 Dam Not Destroyed
tcOutinued from Page n

{, (Contanued he'd used 1t as . bridge to cross the river, but that it was so big and strong that 1t proved impos- sibiO to destroy it.
 Naxl Artillery Acts
 The German artillery then moved ID to within range of the big dam, according to information here, and the Russians resorted to destruc- ton CG, several smaller dams far- ther down the river.
 At the same time, German forces doubled" their drive against the lesieged Black sea port of Odessa, which Is under terrific Luftwatfe attack and has now been brought under heavy artillery fire.
 On the northern front, a tre- mendous battle for Leningrad, huge industrial center and Russia'S sec 0nd city, appeared to be building toward . climax with the capture of the key towns of Novgorod, Nar- va and Kingisepp and the arrival of German forces on compara- lively flat approach to the city.
 The extent of German advance beyond Kingisepp. 70 miles from Ieningrad, or other captured towns was not disclosed, but authorized sources indicated that the drive now was against the immediate" defenses, which are reported manned by 100000 men.
 Qualifications around the former Czarist capital, however, are very strong, according to Germa n spokesman, who would make no forecasts regarding the date of cap- ture ot the city.
 (Exact positions on the Lenin- grad front remained indefinite but Soviet Marshal Klementi Voroshi- loy appealed to the entire popula- ton to defend the city to the end)
 Maxi Advance Slow
 The German advance to the Len- anG1ad defenSes had been slow and difficult in the lake country which has now been traversed. For Sev- eTal weeks the NazS had worked their way northward on both shores of Lake PeipuS and struck east ward into difficult country beyond Lake linen. A kind of "amphib- ian" war has been in progress in this sector, a spokesman said, with both Germans and Russians using speed boats and storm boats on the lakes to supplement land Op. e1ations.
 Until recently, 1t was stated, the Germans had been unable to dom- mate this lake region because It. was still covered by Soviet artil- lery but the capture of Novgorod thrust the drive well forward into the Valdar hills and created 8 new menace to Leningrad.
 The Luftwaffe continued exten- siye operations along the front, but chiefly in the south where Russian transports were attacked as they tried to exactiate Odessa and the DnieDer estuary area.
 Four heavily loaded transports were reported sunk at the mouth of the Dnieper in connection with the capture of Kherson and several RaSSSlan officers taken prisoner, in- cluding General Sokoloff, who was wounded, and the commanding gen. erzl of the 18th Soviet tank corps.
 Picked Hitler Troops
 Picked "SS" shock troops of Hit- ler's personal body guard stormed and captured Cherson, % miles east Of beaeaguered Odessa, the commu- niQiao said.
 The battle in the Gomel area 120 miles north of Kiev in which Ger many. claimed . big victory in . special coFnmunique last night, has now ended with the decisive defeat of the Russians by German infan. try. motorized and armored forces with the aid of the air force, the eounmuniQue said.
 It was asserted that the Russians suffered 'hloody" losses in the bat- ties and that the Germans took in all 04,0OO prisoners and great quan. titles of war materials, including Sts field guns, and IA armored ve. hicies.
 The German forces which took 1garva, Kingisepp and Novgorod are now driving victoriousiy on toward xeningrad, the conmunique assert cd.
 Tn the south, by taking Emerson, they reached the estuary of the Dnjeper river.
 In the southern Ukraine, the high command said the German air force inflicted heavy losses on Rus. sian troops fleeing by sea from the ports of Odessa and Ochakov, 45 miles east of Odessa, and on Rus alan columns retreating eastward toward the Dnieper in the great bend of the river.
 German planes sank 6 6,000-ton transport and damaged three other merchantmen in the Black Sea, Ehe cognmunique said.
 Naxis said that masSed German MrEnored forces and dive bombing planes were attacking remnants of he Russian army of the Ukraine