FIRST WEEK OF WAR

Evening Star, Issue 23368, 11 September 1939, Page 5

FIRST WEEK OF WAR

POSITION ON WESTERN FRONT French Hold 200 Square Miles of German Land FLANK ATTACK ON SIEGFRIED LINE Increasingly Difficult Operations Ahead Press Association—By Telegraph-Copyright ‘ LONDON, September 10. The Paris correspondent of the United Press of America states: At the end of the first week of the war the French hold approximately 200 square miles of German territory, including 20 square miles of the Wardt Forest, west of Forbach. This conquest can he regarded as incidental, the main results of . the operations being the diversion of German troops from Poland and clearing the positions to enable a French assault on the main line of the West Wall. It is not regarded as an outstanding French victory, but as a preliminary to increasingly difficult operations. The Paris correspondent of the British United Press says: It is reliably reported that French forces have surrounded Saarhrucken ,and are pressing forward. Military observers in Paris state that the Wardt Forest covers one of the richest coal deposits in the Saar. A French High Command communique states that the French have found much destruction in the Wardt Forest and all sorts of traps. Despite local enemy counter-attacks, the French captured important heights. German artillery was most active in attempting to stem the advance. The French aerial reconnaissance continues, despite the efforts of pursuit planes. It is unofficially stated in Paris that Germany is making a serious stand across the Saar River. All bridges have been blown up. German bombers njade attacks, but were fought off, minimising the danger of air attack. The Paris correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain states: French tanks and infantry are reported to have reached the Saar River on the left on a banking attack against the Siegfried Line. It is officially announced in Berlin that one British and three French scouters were shot down. Another French machine was forced down near a German aerodrome, and three officers were captured. The British United Press says: It can now be revealed that the French High Command made a double thrust during the first operations of the war. They struck at a point near the junction of the French, German, and Swiss frontiers, near Belgort, simultaneously smashing into Germany through the Saar. If Neunkirchen falls, the French will acquire a valuable rail junction. The capture of Saarbrucken is now reported to be in progress. Encirclement would open the way to the Valley of the Rhine, via Homberg and Kaiserslautern. Before the outbreak of war it was impossible for the French to obtain a clear picture of the Siegfried Line. Since the war began, French planes have been continuously flying over the line, photographing it from all angles. These have now been pieced together into a detailed plan of the German defences. The Paris correspondent of the ‘New York Times’ states: The communiques issued have been stressing the Air Force reconnaissance activity. This is in con junction with similar/British activity and seems to justify the belief that when the West Wall is attacked the war will see the first massive use of aviation.