THE WAR STEP BY STEP

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 64, 20 September 1939, Page 8

THE WAR STEP BY STEP

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 16. y Siegfried Line guns shell FrencH communications in anticipation of a big-scale offensive near Saarbrucken. British and French troops moving through the mu,d into positions for a drive against the line. Flying Officer L. H. Edwards, A\ T ho Avas missing after the Wilhelmshnvcn raid and tlaicl to be New Zealand s first casualty, reported alive and Avell. Two British ships torpedoeod off American coast. Berlin reports state that the Russians AA r ill invade Poland when the Germans have shattered resistance, occupying Polish Ukrania and White Russia. Position of Polish armies is serious. Warsaw still hokls out but the front is breaking up and guerilla Avarfarc seems to be extending under the German raids by motorised columns. Rain is reported Avhich it is hoped Avill slow down the Germans. Gvdnia surrenders after 12 days siege. Poles hope to hold out in the marshes. SUNDAY. SEPTEMBER 17 Heavy counter-attacks by Germans in the Avcst broken after massed tank formations had been AA r recked by French guns. French thmw dazed infantry back Avith the bayonet. The British blockade and the threat of mutiny at home causing some concern in 'Germany. Ministry of Information announces that 29.500 tons of petroleum bound for Germany seized last Aveek. Germans issue a 12 hour ultimatum to WarsaAV and folloAA r ed it' by a terrific bombardment, setting fire to much of the city. MONDAY SEPTEMBER 18 * Berlin messages say that the Polish advance has been slightly slowed down, but surrounded Polish forces fail to break through. Germans bitter about unnecessary bloodshed Germans say resistance hopeiless. Poles resisting still on Hel Peninsula, Danzig, and also near Gvdnia. Russian troops invade Poland on, the Avhole 500 mile frontier "in order !to protect the Russian minority" as the Polish state no longer exists. Despite this Soviet claimed to be neutral. Poles resisted at some points Russia,ns inform Turks they are anxious to avoid trouble in the Balkans and Black Sea and Avould oppose aggression, against Rumania,. Nonaggression pact possible, Britain ap-proA-ing. At least 100 French sailors killed Avhen mine-layer bloAvs up Avhile load ing mines in French port. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 Polish army reported to haA r c col-la-used and little more remains but for the Germans to mop up Avhat is left of the enemy. President Moscicki Avithdraws into Rumania and large sections of tjhe army pour across the frontier. Women and children evacuated from Warsaw but the garrison apparently determined to go down fight ing. Germans closing in. Tokio denies a Russo-Japanese pac" The armistice on the Chinese border is presented as part of the Japanese plea for peace. French hold positions on Western Front to AA'hich large German reinforcements are stated to have been transferred from Poland. Fears that Germany may violate the neutrality of SAvitzerland > Luxemburg or other states. Russian radio reports announce that the Polish invasion opens the road for - the AYorld-AA'ide triumph of Communism. Relations bet we' n the Soviet and Japan Avere not satisfactorily settled. German submarine, sinks Bntish aircraft-carrier Courageous. Submarine believed to have been sunk by destroyers. Enlistments in New Zealand continue satisfactorily. Few men totally unfit. Authority given for the enrolling of a Maori battalion. Neutral sh'p.s under detention, in British ports number t7O say the Germans. British say numbers- are