THE WAR, STEP BY STEP

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 63, 18 September 1939, Page 8

THE WAR, STEP BY STEP

SOME HISTORICAL DATES PROGRAMME OF HOSTILITIES POLAND'S MARTYRDOM

To enable readers of the BEACON to keep a diary of the course of *Im rapidty-moving events in. Europe, and in .other parts of the world affected by 'the recent outbreak of hostilities between England, France and Poland on one side and Germany on the other it is proposed to introduce this new feature, "The War Day by Day/' The outstanding events of each day's news will be summarised and presented in a simple and easily followed diary form. In order to bring the record up to date, the diary of events begins from Thursday Aug* ust 31, with Hitler's unprovoked attack on Poland. THURSDAY August 31, 1939 — German aeroplanes bombed the Polish capital, Warsaw; German troops entered Poland. FRIDAY September 1— Hitler announced that "the German arm}- will fight for the honour and vital rights of a reborn Germany.'* No official declaration of war State of Emergency in New Zealand proclaimed by the GovernorGeneral. SATURDAY September 2 — Mr Chamberlain sent final note to Hitler stating that if word were not received by 11 a.m. that Germany would withdraw troops from Poland a state of war would exist between England and German}'. Turkey gave an assurance that it would assist Britain. SUNDAY September 3 L - The existence of a slate of war between Britain and Germany announced bA r Mr Chamberlain in an Empire broadcast. MONDAY September 4- - New Zealand, Australia and Canada offered full support to Britain. British liner "Athenia' 1 ' with 1400 passengers and crew, and including 311 torpedoed without warning in north Atlantic ocean. Precautionary measures in New Zealand, mainly in the rationing of supplies of petrol and food. Germans advanced in south-east Silesia; Radomskc reported to be cap tured. Poles claimed to have penetrated nine miles into German territory. Hostilities opened at 5 a. m. between France and Germany, with a heavy artillery duel on the Western Front. British bombers successfully attacked German Naval bases at Wilhelmshafen and Keil Canal, scoring direct hits on battleships. Royal Air Force planes flew unopposed over northern and western Germany;' dropping G,000,000 leaflets of Avarning to the German people from Britain. Herr Hitler arrived on Eastern F ron.t. Italy's determination to maintain strict neutrality reported. Rumania also remaining neutral. TUESDAY September 5— German freighter "Olinda** sun!; by a British cruiser in South American Avaters. Crew first ordered into boats. HeaA'y air fighting in Poland. German use of poison gas 5 and air attacks on ambulances, and a convent reported. Warsaw, Cracow and other towns heavily bombed. German forces press forward in northern front. Poles repel attack on, southern fronts President Roosevelt signs neutrality proclamation. Unrest reported, among German workers. British cargo liner "Bosnia?' of 2400 tons, sunk; all hands rescued. Steamer of 2000 tons, owned bA r the LatAian Government, sunk by

mines oft the coast oi' Sweden. Twenty-two lives lost. Royal Air Force planes carried out further reconnaissance over the Ruhr district. Over 3 000,000 more copies of a message were dropped to the German people, telling them that Britain was lighting the Nazi regime: in Germany and not the German people. Over 30 Polish planes bombed Berlin and returned to Warsaw without loss. WEDNESDAY September 6-— Negotiations in progress with the United Kingdom Government for the purchase of the surplus supplies of New Zealand butter, cheese, meat and other primary products. German acroplan.es raided an area between Warsaw and Lodz. Intense bombing of Warsaw and other towns reported. French Army increases its pressure on the German Army's noithern flank" Japan formally notifies belligerents and the United States of its neutrality. New Zealand's first war casualty. Flying-Olficcr Laurence Hugh Edwards f of Patea, reported to be missing while undertaking Royal Air Force patrol duties. The death roll of the torpedoed Athenia reported at 44. Royal Air Force and Naval, units engaged and destroyed three German ships and attacked several submarines . British troops landing rapidly in France, According to a report from Paris. Two British scouting planes shot clown over Hamburg according to a German report. •; Sevcntj r German bombers j aided Warsaw, dropping explosive and incendiary bombs, chiefly in, sitburlvs. Anti-aircraft guns brought down eight planes. Polish aeroplanes effectively bombed German tank columns Warsaw messages stated- that the Polish forces were making a desperate stand west and north of the capital in face of solid fire and with thinning ranks. Germany claims that her army was advancing on Warsaw and Lublin; Eastern Silesia was in German hands and three towns had been captured. South Africa declared war on Gciraany. New German, 25,000 ton battleship Gneisenau reported to be sunk in the Wi'lhelmshafcn 'attack. THURSDAY September 7 —■ ,Prench forces reported to lie progressing bejond the German frontier. French and British planes supporting the land troops, battered munition, plants in the North Saar. Polish broadcast stated that the French forces reached the outskuts of Saarbrucken. Heavy artillery duel reported between the Maginot and Siegl'i ><:«! Lines. Enemy aircraft reported near the East Coast of England defences not penetrated. FRIDAY September 8 — • ' French attack soiidly on Western led by 70-ton, tanks. Report from Paris that at least six German divisions have been diverted from Poland to meet Die strong French offensive. Brussels report stated that the German public is still ignorant of the operations on the Western Front Position relieved in Poland as a result of German troops being rushed to the Western Front. Enlistment on a voluntary basis annoimypd in New Zealand. SUNDAY September 10— Canadian decision to join war. French gain control of 200 square miles in the Saar. British Expeditionary foi*ce join the French. Soviet calls up reservists and requisitions ihorses and motor cars.

German plot to use African gold disclosed. Germany announces unrestricted Avarfare in U-boat campaign. Several more British ships sunk by submarines.: Germans at the gates of Warsa\v. MONDAY September ll— Germans counter attack in Saar. More British shipping sunk by sub marines. , Pact mooted between Japan and the Soviet. Warsaw still holds out against the German, forces. German troops reported to be mov ing to Western (Front. Canada declares war. France rushes troops to Italian frontier. \Germans dropped bank notes in WarsaAV in endeaA'our to depreciate currency. Belgium and Rumania call up re- . servists. TUESDAY September 12 — Great response to New Zealand's call for volunteers for military serA'ice. Six thousand six hundred AVant ed and 6655 volunteered on the iirst day. Great OA r ation from France for British Tommies. Further French adA r ance in Saar area. Soviet expresses fear at German advance in Poland. Three more British ships sunk by submarines. Conflict iallegcd between German naval staff and Nazis. Polish defence of WarsaAV still holds. Rumanian and Russian troops move on to respective borders. Britain buys the whole of Australia's output of dried fruit. WEDNESDAY September 13— French adA r an.ee four miles deeper over twelve and a half mile front in the Saar. Major battle thought to be impending along Moselle-Rhine sector. Fierce German counter-attack brok en at the bayonet point. Scenes like 1914 AA'hen British troops march through French towns singing with the croAvd. German Avnrship hits mine and more British ships torpedoed. Turkey holding key to Balkans, lighting to keep small states neutral and a rampart against Germany. British planes raid Hindenburg Dam between Island of Sylt and main land. Warsaw still holding out under air raids and attacks. Germans driven out of suburbs. Germans driving from north and south to surround Warsaw. Polish towns on Russian border crowded with refugees. THURSDAY September .14 —■ Tcrrific artillery duel between Sieg fried and Maginot Lines. French threatening Saarbruckcn. Actual assault on Siegfried Line expected in near future. Czech headquarters in Paris forming independent national army under own flag. Estimated strength Avill lie 50 000 men, 5 British and French premiers and military men meet in secret session in ,y-ranec. WarsaAV still holding out and Poles apparently settling down on their prepared- lines of defence. A Polish cnA T alry force trapped aod wiped out by mechanised troops. Polish troops fighting their way out of salients near the CorridorGerman Higii Command claims that all territory in Poland belonging to Germany before the Great War now in German hands. FRIDAY September 15—Poles claim to be now on offensive in the north. Lodz recaptured. Germans retreating hastily. Germans threaten to send 3000 planes to bomb British harbours as retaliation for blockade Avhich h making itself lelt. Germans threaten to bomb toAvns and Villages im Poland' in order, tocrush civilian resistance: stern Avarn mg of retaliation from England: French pincer movement on the western front towards Saarbruckcn continuedFirst major Mr battle in,.>vQst: ported as confirming Allied ...supremacy of skies, -.