Moscow, July 19.
The route of a German regiment nomy tanks and the total des-ion of an enemy convoy of two paris and -five barges in the be ere claimed in the latest Soviet communique issued this morning.
The exact place where the German tank regiment was badly mauled by the Soviets is not given. The communique says:—"A regiment of enemy tenks came out on the main road and penetrated into our territory. The enemy tanks were followed by hundreds of motor vehicles, The command of a forma-"ion of Soviet motor-mechanized infantry allowed the Nazis to go on to the bridge over a river (unspecified). Guns. and machine-guns carefully camouflaged were concentrated in favourable positions. When the enemy column had moved away from the bridge, it was attacked by large forces of our motor-mechanized troops.
"The first Nazi vehicles were already on this bridge when an explosion occurred and the bridge collapsed. Motor vehicles, tanks and supply vehicles piled up. Soviet artillery opened fire on the enemy column. Nezi tanks and motor vehicles caught fire. Separate groups of soldiers, tanks and motor vehicles left the road and attempted to escape, but were hit by our shells, The tank regiment and a column of motor-mechanized infantry which followed them suffered enormous losses. A large number of tanks, motor vehicles, arms and munitions were left on the battlefield."
The destruction of the convoy is said to have been achieved by a formation of the Soviet air force, which had been ordered "to destroy transports and oil barges navigating in the Sulima mouth of the Danube."
The communique continues: "Aerial reconnaissance reported that @ convoy of ships was sighted at Mirout. between Tulcea and Sulina, Soviet bombers and fighters were soon over the convoy, but simultaneously a detachment of Messerschmitts appeared over the convoy. Soviet fighters rushed to meet them.
With" the Meersch ANa boss "While Soviet airmen were plastered the convoy with bombs. The first bomb hit a large barge, which, s a result of an explosion, broke in two. Columns of flames rose to the sky. and burning petrol spread on the surface of the river. Soon another barge and transport blew à asa nest of accurate bomb. ing, and a vast sheet of flam over the Danube, pipes "Other transports and barges were set on fire and blown up by burning oil on the river surface, while the convoy, composed of two transports and five barges, were destroyed. Black smoke was visible at some ten kilometres distance.
"During the aerial combat three enemy planes were destroyed. All Soviet planes returned to their base."—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.