THE WAR, STEP BY STEP

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 110, 15 January 1940, Page 2

THE WAR, STEP BY STEP

THURSDAY, JANUARY 11th The first British officer captured on tile Western Front, an artilleryman, was .I'ound seriously wounded and diet! in hospital, says a Berlin message. The officer was left behind after a French reconnaissance west of Merzif. which the Germans repulsed in a sharp fight. "The present British Expeditionary Force is merely a:i advance guard: the number of British soldiers in France is increasing daily," jsaid the British Minister of Supply, Dr. 1,. Burton, in :1 broadcast to France. "You will see column alter column arriving. The Germans will perhaps see more than they will like." The Air Ministry states that German aircraft attacked five ships oft the east coast of Britain: British fighters were unable to make eontact owing to bad visibility. The enemy attacked with bombs and machine guns under cover of mist. The German Government has held up a number of Italian 'planes destined for Finland, and railed across Germany to a Baltic port. Several newspapers forecast that rationing will eventually be extended to clothing materials, and that standard suits may be designed for men and women, containing a specified percentage of wool or silk. German heavy artillery is in positions which have been prepared near tile Dutch frontier, particularly in the Kleve district, the wedge of Get' man territory protruding into Holland, and new airfields have been constructed along the length of the Dutch frontier from Emden to Aachen. FRIDAY, JANUARY 12th Wlrat is apparently the biggest air engagement since the outbreak of the war began over the island of Sylt at (i a.m. and'continued, with breaks, till 4 p.m. The Air Ministry announces that R.A.F. patrolling craft dropped bombs near Sylt, and damage is reported in Danish territory. A German 'plane landed in Denmark, and the pilot was detained. Another 'plane landed i i Belgium, and two flyers were interned. Danish reports mention that <; a great number" of 'planes participated in the battle. Heavy firing was heard throughout the day. A bomb is believed to have hit the Hindenburg dam, over which a road connects Sylt with the mainland . A Copenhagen report states that an unidentified 'plane dropped three bombs on Romo Island, adjoining the Nazi air base on the is land of Sylt. Unidentified 'planes were sighted over the Thames Flstuary. I"igliters went up and returned after half an hour. Anti-aircraft guns were heard but it may have been a routine test. It is understood that the fighters did not contact, any 'planes. Unidentified aircraft, believed to be German, were seen over a southeast coastal town. It is learned that Royal Air Force 'planes made reconnaissance flights over .north-western Germany last night. Security patrols are continuing to watch the mine-laying seaplane bases in the Frieslan Islands. If is reported from ilio de Janeiro that the newspaper "A Noite" reports that passengers on the British liner Avilas Star (14,443 tons), of the Blue-Star Line, claim-that they were attacked by three submarines near the Canary Islands, in the vicinity of the sccnc of the unsuccessful U-boat attack on the other British liner Highland Patriot last weekend . Escorting ships in the convoy sank one submarine. It is believed that there is a secret German base near the Canaries. The snows have almost disappeared on the Western Front. French artillery hammered at Schneeberg, There was great aerial activity. Anti-aircraft guns fired on German 'planes Hying over the lines, and the thunder of guns in the Saar echoed in the Moselie region throughout the night. A communique reports artillery action and reconnaissance patrols by both sides eiist and west of Ihe Moselle.