FIERCE FIGHTING ON TWO FRONTS

Evening Star, Issue 23369, 12 September 1939, Page 7

FIERCE FIGHTING ON TWO FRONTS

French Hold Their Gains Action Increasing in Intensity Invaders Driven From Warsaw Suburbs Press Association—By Telegraph-Copyright PARIS, September 11. (Received September 12, at 10 a.m.) It is reported that the French smashed the German counter-attacks in an overnight battle on the Maginot frontier. Fierce hand-to-hand fighting occurred in open farmlands, along the Sierck-Saarburg road in German territory, in which the Germans were thrust back at the bayonet point. The French also held all their gains. A French communique states that, despite resistance, the attack continued to make important progress over a twentykilometre front in the east Saar. It is unofficially stated that the French have greatly consolidated their positions on German soil in the last 24 hours, causing heavy German casualties during the counter-offensive. The action on the Western Front is gaining in intensity. The new zone of attack is from the eastern edge of a line from the Bitsch Plateau to the German Palatinate between the Little Saar River and the Vosges Mountains. German counter-attacks are directed at the western end of the line from the Saar Basin. It is officially stated that French planes heavily bombed German concentration points in the Saar Valley behind the Siegfried Line. POLES MAKING DESPERATE STAND. A German communique states that the first great battle of the war is reaching a “ decisive ” point on the WarsawRadom sectors of a 250-mile semi-circular front. The capture of Posen is expected at any moment. The Budapest correspondent of the Associated Press says the Lwow radio announced that the Poles had forced the Germans to retreat from some of the Warsaw suburbs. A Polish communique states that German planes are continuing the relentless bombing of Warsaw and also the defence lines on the Bug River. There has been severe fighting on the San River, near Sanok, where the Germans are attempting to smash" towards’Lwbw in ordr 'to cift off the Ukraine and Bus-sian-Polish rail communications. A Berlin communique states that German naval forces assisted the army by bombarding Gdynia. Planes bombed the railroads east of Warsaw, Lemberg, Lublin, and Chelm. A German high command communique says: The great battle for Poland is nearing conclusion. The enemy were driven across the San River, which German troops crossed, and also succeeded in establishing themselves on bridge-heads on the south bank of Narew River near Nowgorod and Wizna. Polish artillery in the eastern part of Warsaw is directing a heavy fire on German troops ensconced in the western parts of the capital.

The investment of Gdynia continues. Neustadt and Putzig are now in German hands.

FIGHTING ARGUND LWOW PLANES BOMB EVACUATION TRAIN WARSAW, September 11. (Received September 12, at 11 a.m.) A Polish general headquarters communique from Lwow announces that fighting occurred north of the Bug River in the Ostrowraazowiecki district. The enemy extended its action with armoured units to the banks cf the Vistula. Lwow sustained six successive bombardments of great intensity on the 10th ihst. A number of projectiles fell in the working-class suburbs, causing casualties. Passengers on an evacuation train from Warsaw to Lwow say they were obliged to leave the train 72 times owing to bombing from, planes. PRAYING FOR BAD WEATHER WOULD SLOW GERMAN PROGRESS LONDON, September 11. (Received September 12, at noon.) The special representative of the Independent Cable Service at Cernauti says: “ The whole of Poland is ptaying for -bad weather, believing that rain and muddy roads will halt the daily march of the German mechanised army. The retreating Polish troops liave been hopelessly overwhelmed by the air bombardment and superior artillery. Many cities, including Lwow, are without anti-aircraft guns, and Jewish villages have been systematically bombed. I passed through Tomaszow half an hour after nine bombs fell on the market place, killing 200.” CONCENTRATION CAMP FOR POLES COPENHAGEN, September 11, (Received September 12, at 12.5 p.m.) Germany is establishing a concentration camp to accommodate 1,000 Poles. |

BRITAIN “ BETRAYS ” POLAND NAZI ANALYSIS OF SITUATION BERLIN, September 11. (Received September 12, at 10 a.m.) The German Polish language broadcast stated that Britain “ Does not intend to send soldiers—she has betrayed Poland.” POLISH REFUGEES FIRST ARRIVALS OH RUMANIAN BORDER NEW YORK, September 11. (Received September 12, at 12.45 p.m.) The Bucharest correspondent of the ‘ New York Times ’ says the first 1,000 refugees have arrived on the llumanianPolish border. Women and children and wounded were freely admitted, but others were refused. Those carrying arms were disarmed and interned. The Red Cross is organising 11 relief stations. “DOOMED TO FAILURE" DR GAYOA’S VIEW OF ECONOMIC BLOCKADE ROME, September 11. (Received September 12, at 10 a.m.) Dr Gayda says that the starving of Germany by an economic blockade is doomed to failure, due to Germany's economic preparations for the war and the possibility of raw materials from Russia. Britain, he says, is not only attempting morally and economically to isolate Germany in Europe and the world, but is trying to produce a revolt of the German people against Herr Hitler and National Socialism. Germany is united, and the disciplined economy of the past sis years has been aimed at self-sufficiency, and the results have been prodigious.

By special arrangement, Reuter’s World Service, in addition to other special sources of information, is used in the compilation . of the overseas intelligence published in I this issue, and all rights therein in Aus- j tralia and New Zealand arc reserved, 1

NAZI COUNTER-ATTACKS SMASHED

SUBMARINE MENAGE WAR ON MERCHANT SHIPPING STEAMER TORPEDOED IN MID-ATLANTIC NEW YORK, September 11. (Received September 12, at 10 a.m.) United States Lines reported that tiie freighter American Shipper rescued 32 members of the crew of the British steamer Blair Logie which was torpedoed in mid-Atlantic. FREIGHTER SHELLED AND SUNK GREW TAKEN TO AZORES HORTA (The Azores), September 11. (Received September 12, at 10 a.in.) The British freighter Gartavon was shelled and sunk in the Atlantic by a submarine, according to 24 members of the crew when the Swedish steamer Castor brought them here. STEAMER SUNK IN CHANNEL WATCHED BY HOLIDAY CROWD LONDON, September 11. (Received September 12, at 11 a.m.) Thusands of holiday-makers watched from the coast the steamer Magdapur. 8,641 tons, sink after a loud explosion. Coastal lifeboats assisted to rescue the crew. SAVED BY HIS CREW CAPTAIN OF THE GOODWOOD LONDON, September 11. (Received September 12, at 1 p.m.) Three members of the crew of the i steamer Goodwood, which was sub- * manned on September 10 in the North Sea, jumped out of a lifeboat to rescue the skipper, who was trapped by wreckage on the vessel and had both legs broken. When the Goodwood was sinking Captain Hewson told tjio men to look after themselves, but the bos’un and two others pulled the wreckage away, put a lifejacket on the captain, and threw him over the side. Then they jumped overboard themselves. They were picked up by the lifeboat. THE BRITISH BLOCKADE VIGOROUS COUNTER-ATTACK BY GERMANY BERLIN, September- 11. (Received September 12, at 11.45 a.m.) It is semi-officially stated that there will be a vigorous counter-attack against the British blockade. Germany is drafting a contraband list similar to the British and proposes by every means to prevent war materials and foodstuffs going to Britain. She is also placing on the black list commercial concerns dealing with Britain. DUTCH STEAMER MINED COPENHAGEN, September 11. (Received September 12, at 1.45 p.m.) The Dutch steamer Mark was mined on September 9 off the west coast of Jutland. Thirty-two men in two boats landed on the north-west coast of Jutland. CONTROLLER OF SHIPPING AUSTRALIAN APPOINTMENT CANBERRA, September 12. (Received September 12, at 1.5 p.m.) Mr Menzies announced that Captain G. D. Williams, president of the Maritime Services Board of New South Wales, has been appointed Controller of Shipping. DISCUSSIONS WITH TURKEY FRENCH GENERAL’S VISIT ANKARA, September 11. (Received September 12, at 10 a.m.) General Weygand conferred with the Turkish army leaders to consider the measures to be adopted in the event of tho conflict reaching the Mediter- 1 ranean. NO QUARRELS TURKEY CUT OF THE WAR ANKARA, September 11. (Received September 12, at 12.55 p.m.) The Prime Minister in the National Assembly said Turkey was out of the ( war, and hoped that the conflagration would avoid them. There were no t direct Turkish-German political differ- i ences, Turkey’s ■ relations with the 1 Soviet was friendly, and her relations s with the belligerents were based on in- f tornational law. Turkey’s line was one t of vigilant watchfulness. ; s

GERMAN WARSHIP LOST STRUCK BY FLOATING MINE TEN OF GREW KILLED LONDON, September 11. (Received September 12, at 10 a.m.) The Danish Press reports that a i German warship was destroyed by a floating mine off Trelleborg last night. Ten members of the crew were killed, and a German trawler rescued the remainder. A Swedish steamer’s crew witnessed .j the explosion from a distance. ii ————————— GERMAN FREIGHTER STRANDED OSLO, September 11. (Received September 12, at 10 a.m.) The German steamer Hugo Stinnes is stranded on the Lofoten Islands. RAID BY BRITISH PLANES S ■ 1 ATTACK ON HINDENSUR6 DAM f r COPENHAGEN, September 11. It is understood that British planes raided the Hindenburg dam connecting the island of Sylt with the mainland on Saturday. Two unidentified planes fell into the sea in the ensuing air battle. The Germans have evacuated the civil population from the island. j BOOM IN STEEL STOCKS ; MODIFICATION OF EMBARGO ANTICIPATED _______ * NEW YORK, September 11. (Received September 12, at 10 a.m.) Steels established a new “ high,” tlie gains ranging over a dozen points, due to the anticipation of a modification of the embargo on shipments to belligerents, carrying industrials generally to around the best average for the year. MAKESHIFT GAS MASKS POLISH MOTHERS 1 INGENUITY DOUBTFUL EFFECTIVENESS AMSTERDAM, September 11. (Received September 12, at 10 a.m.) Warsaw is virtually without gas masks, but Polish mothers have taken up needles and thread in an ingenious attempt to save their children from poison gas, according to a British photographer. Mr Eric Calcraft, who has just arrived from Warsaw. rue women sewed elastic bands to large pieces of cotton or gauze hung around the children’s necks. The children have been told to pull them up over their noses and mouths at the first gas alarm. It is doubtful whether the masks will be of any use, but they are the best the mothers can do, and ' they must do something. DEFYING THE GESTAPO GERMAN SOCIALISTS ACTIVITIES LONDON, September 11. (Received September 12, at noon.) The German Independent Socialists smuggled a message to the Independent Labour Party, in which they stated that, despite the ruthless surveillance of the Gestapo, fortification workers had distributed a pamphlet urging the people to fight against Hitler’s policy of aggression and war. EMPIRE UNITY MANY OFFERS OF ASSISTANCE LONDON, September 11. (Received September 12, at noon.) A Ministry of Information communique states that British Honduras and Northern Rhodesia have joined the long list of dependencies and colonies offering assistance to the British cause. SLOVAK DESERTERS SIX THOUSAND ESCAPE TO HUNGARY PARIS, September 11. (Received September 12, at 12.5 p.m.) ‘ Lo Matin ’ states that 0,000 Slovaks deserted and escaped to Hungary. The German wireless claims that three French planes have been brought down. I CLERGY AND WAR CURATE JOINS THE ARMY ! LONDON, September 11. ] (Received September 12, at 12.25 p.m.) The Rev. Kenneth Stephens, curate near Stoke-on-Trent, who joined the Array as a combatant because he feels it his duty to figiit German aggression, said ; “ 1 am a young man, with no family tics, and f considered that, as the country is in need of man power, I 1 * should offer my services.”- I