BRITISH TROOPS IN FRANCE

Evening Star, Issue 23370, 13 September 1939, Page 5

BRITISH TROOPS IN FRANCE

In Action on Western Front

Transport Carried Out With Great Secrecy

French Smash Nazi Counter-attacks in Night Battle . Pr«w Association-fly Telegraph-Copyright LONDON, September 11. According to the 4 Daily Mail,’ British troops have already participated in advances in German territory. The transport of the British Expeditionary Force occupied several days. It was carried out with great secrecy and without mishap. The troops deceived a tremendous ovation in France, recalling 1914 scenes. The Paris correspondent of the 4 Daily Mail ’ says that men and women wept with joy at the sight of-soldiers marching with swinging stride-along cobbled streets. Spectators cried, .** Voila les Tommies, Voila les Anglais. Once again history repeated itself. The troops sang 4 Old'Faithful and 4 Tipperary,’ the echoes of which were caught up by the throngs, hurrying, half-running beside the marching columns singing the refrain in a broken .jingle of half English and half French. Laughing, chattering girls sought souvenirs. All the famous scenes when the Old Contemptibles landed in France were re-enacted. The British Press hailed the announcement that 44 Tommies ” are on German soil. Secrecy was maintained until the troops were landed in order to reduce the danger of submarine attack. Successful operations, have been reported, and the Royal Air Force reconnoitred the west wall in the face of heavy antiaircraft fire. '... FIERCE HAND-TO-HAND FIGHTING. It has been reported from Paris 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 Gernjan territory, in which the Nazis were thrust back at the bayonet point. The French also held all their gains. French infantry, following massed tanks, are reported to . have driven two to four miles deeper over the front eastward of the Saar River and are holding the Salient close to Blieskastel and Parmasens, which are directly along the first fortifications of the west wall and towards Zweibrucken. The latest news suggests that a major battle is approaching along the 100-mile secitor from the Moselle to the Rhine. The French attack at present is concentrated against heights between Zweibrucken and the Rhine. It has been reported that Germans thrusting forward along the Moselle Valley were cut down by withering fire. The Maginot Line counter-offensive which extended throughout the night of Sunday was halted early on Monday morning. GERMANS EVACUATING TOWNS. A correspondent of the British United Press says that Saint Louis, in the Rhine Valley, has been evacuated of civilians. The whole area can be flooded if necessary. The Geneva correspondent of 4 The Times ’ reports the civilian evacuation of Baden on the right bank of the Rhine. The Paris correspondent of the ‘New York Times’ says the German offensive yesterday is reported to have been entrusted to relatively important regular army troops, who advanced several hundred yards before being halted by a French counter-attack. The Nazis will strive to delay their retreat 1 into the west wall. Once they are below ground their reaction to attacks will be restricted to artillery fire for points from which sorties may he made under constant fire. The experience of the World War shows that it is difficult to keep troops controlled when in what amounts to . a prison pounded relentlessly by heavy guns, not knowing what is happening outside and knowing that barrages laid down cut off retreat and prevent reinforcements from arriving.

SINKING OF ATHENIA SQUABBLE AMONG NAZI LEADERS . ALARMED AT WORLD REACTION ' LONDON, September 12. It has. been reported from Copenhagen that a conflict has broken out between the Nazi Naval Staff and political leaders over the torpedoing of the Athenia, German Foreign Office and other propaganda officials are alarmed at the world reaction. !* Admiral Raeder countered the criticism by saying that the only hope of breaking the British blockade lay in unrestricted U-boat warfare, and protested against clumsy efforts by Dr Goebbels to cast the blame elsewhere. He said the U-boat commanders’ worst fault, if any, bad been that they carried out too literally Hitler’s order to sing without .warning. " SCOUNDREL FROM BERCHTESGADEN" ANTI'HITLER NOTICES LONDON, September 11. The ‘ Daily Express ’ says the Paris radio yesterday reported that neutral motorists who were returning from Germany via Aachen had seen pieces of paper pinned to trees bearing the words, written in German, “ Rather the Kaiser of God’s good grace than ft* scoundrel from Bercbtesgaden. -

GERMANS LEAVE IRELAND TRAVELLING IN SEALED TRAIN .DUBLIN, September 11. As the result or an Anglo-Irish agreement, 50 German residents have left for Germany. They will travel across England in a sealed train. QUICK RESPONSE AUSTRALIANS VOLUNTEER FOR SERVICE SYDNEY, September 12. The Prime Minister, Mr R. G. Menzies, is greatlv impressed with the manner in which men are offering their services for home and abroad. He said that the militray authorities faced an enormous number of applications and a rush for enlistment. The Government intended to make another examination of the militia training system with a view to its extension. GALLANT LEAD DOMINION INITIATIVE PRAISED Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, September 12. The ‘ Daily Telegraph ’ says; “ The nature of the dominions’ action is a matter for the respective Governments. New Zealand’s decision to raise a force to serve within or beyond the country is a gallant lead, and the stricken fields of Gallipoli and France have shown the value of her troops.”