Evening star., 1941-09-27
Rv the Associated Press.

LONDON. Sept. 27.-Signs that
Britain plans to send troops from
India and the Near East to aid Rus
sia in defending the all-important
Caucasus became increasingly evi-
dent today as the German war ma
chine fought almost at the door OF
that oil-rich area.
The need for speedy British help
was stressed by the German attack
on the Crimea, but the British kept
the Axis guessing as to what actual
forces and material might be sent
through the new Iran door into the
Caucasus.
Russian losses in the fighting east
of Kiev undoubtedly were severe
authoritative sources here conceded,
but they declared German claims
of the disintegration of Soviet troops
in that area and the capture of
665, 900 prisoners probably were
much exaggerated"
Strenuous fighting" continues all
along the front, these sources re-
ported.
Nazi Losses Declared Heavy.
On the north the Germans were
said to hold most Of Oesel, the Riga
Bay island fortified by the Russians
to guard the approach to the Gulf
of Finland
These informants said the Ger
mans suffered heavy losses to
achieve but slight progress in the
assault on Leningrad and that the
Russians had made successful local
counter-thrusts in the Smolensk sec
tor
There was some doubt here
whether the German attack on the
Crimea Peninsula was developing
into full-scale operation or merely
a sideshow to operations toward
Kharkov, in the center of the in
dustrial Donets River Basin, and
further east along the Black Sea
coast.
Four German divisions and Nazi
parachute troops were reported
pounding at the Crimea in furious
battle, and informed sources said
capture of that finger of Russian
land would give the Germans par
tial command of the Black Sea,
making a sea invasion of the Cau-
casus a possibility.
Signs of British Plans.
Observers noted these signs that
Britain was planning the fullest help
for Russia:
/. Gen. Sir Archibald p Wavell.
British commander in India, was
reported about to meet Col. t.
Novikov, Russian commander in
Teheran. the Iranian capital.
2. Both Gen. Wavell and Gen. Sir
Claude j. E. Auchinleck, British
Near East commander, have been
in London in the past two months
for conferences with Prime Minister
Churchill and Gen. Sir John G. Dill,
chief of the British imperial staff.
3. The announcement that Capt.
Oliver Lyttleton, British Near East
political and economic co-ordinator,
is in London for conferences with
Mr.. Churchill and the cabinet.
4. Reports-unconflrm but not
denied-that British troops and sup
plies are being landed constantly at
Bandar Shahpur. Iranian port at
the head of the Persian Gulf. and
are moving swiftly northwards.
S. Appointment of a transport
expert, Brig. Gen. Sir Godfrey
Rhodes. as director of transporta-
ton through Iran. The railroads Of
Iran would play an important part
in dispatching an expeditionary
force to Russia's help.
Confer in Moscow.
British sources have stressed the
necessity of keeping the Germans
away from the Caucasian oil fields,
and commentators said they believed
the Russians would not be able to
smash the wells sufficiently to stop
production completely for more than
a couple of months.
Meanwhile, British supplies were
said to be flowing into Russia via
Iran and other routes while British
and United States missions con-
ferred with the Russians in Moscow.
The production of the first five
days of Britain's tanks for Russia"
week was reported officially to have
broken all records.
An authoritative source declared
that Large quantities" Of military
supplies were moving toward the
Caucasus from the Persian Gulf, but
added there was nothing to indicate