CAB80-32 — Page 105

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Enemy Minelaying, British Minesweeping.

13. On the night of 23rd/24th, about 30 enemy aircraft laid mines in the upper Bristol Channel, which necessitated closing all ports above Swansea for two days. On the night of the 24th/25th, about 23 aircraft operated over the Thames Estuary. Minor raids were also made off Holyhead, Milford Haven, Falmouth and Lyme Bay. Twelve magnetic and nine acoustic mines have been destroyed during the week. The mine totals are: 1,529 magnetic, 1,170 acoustic and 1,063 moored.

Enemy Merchant Shipping.

14. The Yugoslav Serafin Topic (4,294 tons), which has been at Oran since January 1941, is reported to have been handed over to the Italians. The Italian Mauro Croce (1,049 tons) is reported to have been torpedoed on 9th November while on passage from Barcelona to Genoa. The Italian Capo Pino (4,785 tons) is overdue at Istanbul from Salonika and is reported to have been sunk. The Yugoslav Tomislav (5,387 tons), which has been taken over by Lloyd Triestino, left Shanghai on 19th November under the Italian flag.

MILITARY SITUATION.

(An outline map showing Axis operations against Russia is included in this Résumé as an inset.)

Russo-German Campaign.

Finland.

15. There has been no change.

Leningrad Sector.

16. Fierce fighting has taken place east of Leningrad in the Volkhov- Tikvin area, but there has been no appreciable change.

Central Sector.

17. The territorial situation in the immediate neighbourhood of Kalinin remains the same, but it appears that the German forces, which were held at this point, have been diverted south-eastwards against Moscow. This new drive has made substantial progress and the Germans claim to have reached Solnechnaya Gora, which is less than 40 miles from Moscow.

Due west of the capital there has been no advance by the Germans against the vigorous Russian resistance, but the pressure is being maintained. Coincidental with the new Moscow thrust the intensified offensive immediately to the south of Tula continues, and has made some further progress in the direction of Riazhsk.

South of Orel there has been a slight advance to the Orel-Kursk railway.

Ukraine.

18. Some slight advance has been made south-east of Kharkov in the direction of Kupyansk.

Although the Germans have reached Rostov, strong Russian resistance continues, and, as the town is on the right bank of the Don, its loss would have no serious immediate strategic effect, provided the bridges over the river were destroyed.

Crimea.

19. The whole of the Crimea is now in German hands except for the south- western extremity, where Sevastopol continues to resist strongly.

Up to the present the Germans have made no attempts to cross the Kerch Straits.

Conclusion.

20. The new offensive towards Moscow from the north-west, in conjunction with the maintenance of pressure due west of the city, considerably increases the

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