The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-02-26
Russian Armies Have Hit Nazis Deadly Blow
Continued from Page II

out to attack Soviet guerillas. The action lasted 10 days but failed tc exterminate the Russian irregular forces.
 Greatest Debacle Of All
 The blow to the invader, from the standpoint of casualties, apparently was greater than the NaI debacle around Staraya Russa. It fell upon the Germans and their Rumaniar allies several days ago.
 They carefully prepared counter attack in an effort to break through to an important railroad junction lost to the Russians, it was said But they met a stone wall defense and captured officers and men said the four divisions lost 40 per cent ot their man-poWer.
 Then Russian cavalry and infan- try took the offensive. Cavalry en- veloped the flank of the Rumanian division and snote it from the rear
 The survivors retreat, leaving 2,250 officers and men dead upon the field these sources said.
 In still another sector, farther south, the Russians on February 22 were said to have encircled strong ly fortified enemy salient and smashed three German regiments taking two railway stations and seven villages.
 Last nights communique reported the taking of several localities from the Germans and that the Germans lost heavily in men and machines. Twenty German planes were shot down on Tuesday, it said The Russians lost six planes.
 Take 13 Localities
 Units operating on the Kalinin front captured 13 localities and routed a regiment of Germans in one day, the communique asserted.
 Detailing German losses, it said the Red air force Tuesday destroyed or damaged 150 trucks transporting soldiers, 90 trucks loaded with am- munition, nine guns, 39 anti-aircraft installations, six railroad cars, two armored railroad flatcars, one loco- motive, and dispersed and partly decimated almost three batatlions of infantry.
 In another sector, the Russians were said to have taken four local ities and captured three heavy tanks nine machine guns, five mine throWers, 318 rifles, two motorized guns and three radio stations. The communique said the Germans lost more than 500 men.
 Guerrillas around Kalinin were reported to have attacked German supply column with grenades, des- troying SO trucks. :
 Reports reaching London indi- cated the Russians were advancing satisfactorily in five main sectors: Leningrad, Straya Russa, Rzhev, Smolensk, and the Ukraine. Consid- erable progress also was evident in the Orel area.
 (One report was that the Rus sians had captured an important place" in the Leningrad area. The brilliant victory around Staraya Russa, in which at least 12,000 Ger mans were killed, seemed to open the way for a direct attack on the Germans investing Lenngrad, 140 miles to the north).
 Germans Valued It
 The value the Germans placed on the Staraya Russa district was illus trated by an order issued by Gen. eral Count Won Brockdo-f, com mander of the German second army corps. It said:
 'Soldiers-some time ago the Rus sians succeeded in breaking through our front and advancing southward from Staraya Russa, thereby cut ting our communications.
 We are bringing up large forces in order to destroy the Russian forces that effect that break through.
 T can asure you that the Fuehrer knows the position of the second army corps, despite the threat ot being cut of, to hold out to tie end.
 Our supplies will be delivered by air. We must economize on ammuni- ton and food. If the food supply t insufficient, the advanced line ot soldiers will be provided for before the others.
 Were 96,000 strong. The Russians will never succeed in breaking oul lines. Trying weeks are ahead. We will survive them just as we sur vived in the trying days past"
 Twelve thousand of the men who read his appeal are dead: the others ara {t, ratroot