FRENCH SUCCESS ON WESTERN FRONT

Evening Star, Issue 23372, 15 September 1939, Page 9

FRENCH SUCCESS ON WESTERN FRONT

Important Strategic Point Captured Saarbrucken Endangered Germans Massing Heavy Artillery Ring Round Warsaw Closing Capital a Scene of Carnage Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright PARIS, September 14. (Received September 15, at 1 p.m.) The Paris radio announced that the French had cut off Saarbrucken by the capture of the important strategic point of Politz. The artillery are now in a position enabling the domination of communications between Saarbrucken and Germany. An earlier communique revealing heavy action by German artillery on the hieights south of Saarbrucken is interpreted to mean that the enemy has been forced to bring up big guns to offset the French threat to important positions. * The Paris correspondent of the Associated Press says German reinforcements are massing behind Saarbrucken to avert its capture. It is reported that French planes are busy bombing the heavy German artillery rushed into the Saar Valley to stem the French advance. Authoritative quarters say the Germans have brought up their heavy guns in the belief that the French operations are emerging from the stage of advance guard action and are threatening important positions on the , Siegfried Line. A German communique admits that “stronger French force* than hitherto ” have penetrated German territory between Saarbrucken and Hombach. It added that the French advance had been stopped by gunfire and minefields. l lt : is reported that' Frehch troops and tanks crossed the Moselle River near Luxembourg in an attack on German territory. The sound of machine gun fire and artillery, indicating a severe battle, was clearly heard in the nearby towns of Schengen; NAZIS GRADUALLY SURROUNDING WARSAW. A German High Command communique claims that the ring round Warsaw has been closed in the east and adds that German troops are advancing on Warsaw across the Narew River from Modlin. The Vistula, according to reports, was crossed at several points north of Sandomierz. Farther south strong forces crossed the Lublin-Lwow road near Pawaruska and Tomaszow. Troops are rapidly approaching Brest-Litovsk after capturing Fort Osowiec, described as the last Polish frontier fortification. Another communique says: “As the result of the battle near Radom 60,000 prisoners thus far have been taken, including numerous generals. The Eighth Polish Division, including the divisional staff, surrendered on Wednesday north of Ostrowo and Mazowieka and 6,000 prisoners were taken,” The Associated Press of Great Britain reports that Lwow was badly damaged, despite German statements to the contrary. Fires are blazing in many quarters of the city and there is no water with which to quench them. The Germans continue to bombard and bomb Warsaw.' The Polish announcer on the Warsaw radio declared that everything is in ruins, with corpses underneath. Many of the ' bodies are those of women and children.

KIEL RAIDS BRITISH BOMBERS' SUCCESS DIRECT HIT REGISTERED PILOTS’ GRAPHIC STORIES LONDON, September 14. {Received September 13, at 2 p.m.) - The Ministry of Information announces that the first eye-witness accmints of the air raids against the enemy after the outbreak of the war can now be given. It is the story of the Kiel raids, obtained from the B.A.F. pilots and navigators who struck this blow against Germany’s naval strength. Some*of these pilots flew so close to one of the two warships which were bombed that they almost touched her masthead, and could see in vivid" detail what happened on her decks and also what happened on the quayside. The pilots and crows were drawn from all parts of Britain, and there were also several officers from Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and Eire. The leader’s personal story is: “ We started for Wilhelmshaven at 4 p.ra. on September 4. The afternoon was fine when we left, but as we flew on we met foul weather, with heavy and continuous rain. When we reached Wilhelmshaven the weather cleared for a few minutes. Breaking our flight formation, we flew singly in over the Schilling Roads. We could .see a German warship taking on stores. Flying

at 100 ft above its masts, all three aircraft in our flight converged on the battleship. I flew straight ahead, the pilot of the second aircraft came across from one side and the third pilot crossed from the other. We could see the crews running to their stations. As we flew over the battleship we dropped our bombs. Our second pilot saw two hit. We came round and the ship’s pompoms began to fire as we headed homewards. The pilot of the third aircraft saw the first bomb drop from the second bomber. It appeared to drop dead amidships.” GAME OF HIDE-AND-SEEK. A vivid story was told by the officers and crew of another squadron taking part in the raids in the Kiel area. One of the aircraft was hit several times, both by shells and bullets, but returned home safely, although its two petrol tanks were punctured. The other two bombers were not hit. “We set out in fine weather,” said the loader of this attack. “We were flying at 2.000 ft, but soon ran into clouds and came down to 300 ft. We were near the German coast when half a dozen enemy fighters came out to engage us. A game of hide-and-seek in the clouds followed, and our craft were successful in eluding their pursuers and left them behind. Conditions grew worse and there was heavy rain for an hour; then the weather improved and my bombers gained height, giving a wide berth to all lands along the German coast. We made landfall accurately and flew up tho Elbe Estuary until we sighted a number of German naval vessels. We were then at 6.000 ft under a thin layer of cloud. The enemy held his fire until wo were almost over our target, then suddenly opened with every gun he could bring to bear. “ It was terrific, especially the fir-

PARTITION OF POLAND?

BOMBING OF OPEN TOWNS FEELING OF HORROR IN BRITAIN " HITLER FRANK FOR ONCE " {British Official Wireless.) RUGBY. September 14. (Received September 15, at 11.30 a.m.) The announcement from the Fuhrer’s headquarters of the intention to bomb open towns in Poland in defiance of international Jaw and of Hitler’s own solemn undertaking, has roused a feeling' of horror in Britain, which, the Press reports indicate, are shared by civilised/countries throughout the world. The ‘ Daily Telegraph ’ says: “ For once Hitler is frank. The German army’s adherence to the rules of civilised warfare lasted less than a fortnight.” Mr Chamberlain, in the House of Commons, after endorsing Lord Halifax’s statement that the restrictions which Britain and France proposed to observe were based on similar restraint being shown by the enemy, added: “Whatever be the lengths to which others may go Britain will never resort to deliberate attack on women and children and other civilians for the purpose of mere terrorism. If action of the kind suggested in the German announcement is taken it will inevitably further strengthen the resolve of ourselves and our Allies so to conduct our policy and so prosecute the war as to ensure that the menace we are fighting, of which this threat may be another manifestation, is finally removed.” GERMANS NOT TO USE GAS HITLER’S DECLARATION TO BRITAIN (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 14. (Received September 15, at 1.30 p.m.) Lord Halifax, in the House of Lords, said Germany had notified Britain that she intended to observe throughout the war prohibition concerning the use of poisonous gas, asphyxiating gas, and bacteriological methods of warfarej which formed the subject of the Geneva protocol. Lord Halifax added that Hitler, in reply to President Roosevelt’s appeal, said he had refrained from • bombing non-military objectives under all circumstances. GERMANY PREPARED TO STRIKE LORD SNELL ON WAR OUTBREAK (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 14. (Received September 15, at 11 a.m.) In the House of Lords to-day Lord Snell commented on yesterday’s Government statement in both Houses on the war situation. Speaking on the outbreak of war, he said the position of the German submarines indicated in his view that Germany had prepared to strike at a particular time. •“ We may think, I hope, that the initial advantage will quickly pass away.” The leaflet raid over Germany, Lord Snell said, had been a success so great that the German Government was apparently afraid of the truth, and decreed a threat of death to anyone even picking up a leaflet.

RUSSO-GERMAN UNDERSTANDING REPORTED CREATION OF SUFFER STATE SOVIET TO OCCUPY EASTERN AREA (Independent Cable Service.) BERLIN, September 14. (Received September 15, at 12.30 p.m.) It is reliably reported that an understanding has been reached whereby Germany, after completing the occupation of Eastern Poland, will withdraw. A central Polish buffer State will then be created, after which Russia will occupy Eastern Poland. A RUSSIAN OUTBURST ALLEGATIONS AGAINST POLAND OPPRESSION OF MINORITIES . MOSCOW, September 14. (Received September 15, at 11 a.m.) Significant allegations of Polish oppression of its Russian minority and also that Poland is no longer fit to govern herself are contained in an article in ‘Pravda.’ It says; “The Polish ruling classes have done everything possible to aggravate the relations with the national minorities and bring them to a state of extreme tension.” Analysing the causes of Poland’s military defeat, the article declares it is not attributable to German preponderance or to the lack of British and French support, but to the fact that the Polish State machine is disorganised. It was so impotent and inefficient that it began to crumble with the first military setback. Poland was on ‘the verge of bankruptcy because of the inner weakness of the nation, which was really a multinational State, only 60 per cent, of the population being Polish, the remainder including 8,000,000 Ukrainians, and 3,000,000 White Russians. “It is clear that without minority rights being granted it is impossible to preserve the multinational State and assure that internal unity which is vital to power.” The Ukrainians and White Russians suffered the full brunt of Polish oppression and unscrupulous exploitation. Their lands were given to Polish military' colonists, Polish language was forced on official circles, and domination maintained by punitive expeditions and field tribunals, while terror is fanning national discord, as a result of which the minorities are doomed to cultural degradation. Some interpret the article as a declaration of Russian interest in the Ukrainian and White Russian minorities, but Polish circles discount such an interpretation and profess no fear of Russian intervention. They categorically deny reports that the Polish Embassy is ready to leave Moscow. COFFEE FROM AMERICA SOVIET SEEKING BIG SHIPMENTS MAY BE DESTINED FOR GERMANY WASHINGTON, September 14. (Received September 15, at 1 p.m.) The Soviet is seeking large supplies of Colombian coffee from the United States and is requesting shipment in Russian ships. This is interpreted as a move to meet the German demand. SURRENDER OF GDYNIA FURTHER FIGHTING IN THE NORTH BERLIN, September 14. (Received September i 5. at 11 a.m.) The news agency claims that the commander of Gdynia surrendered the town, and that German troops entered this morning. Fighting continues to the north. POLAND URGES MORE ASSISTANCE NOTE TO BRITAIN LONDON. September 14. (Received September 15, at 10 a.m.) The Polish Ambassador, M. Rnezynski, sent a Note to the Foreign Office urging more effective British assistance to Poland.

Lord Snell said the clear vision of the British people put the responsibility for the war precisely where it lay—upon a group of adventurers who had obtained the rule of power in Germany,

Lord Macmillan said ho was in entire agreement with what had been said as to the true functions of the Ministry of Information. “It is a Ministry of expression, not a Ministry of repression, and least of 1 all a Ministry of depression.” He appreciated fully both the need of news for the public and the reluctance of the.defence services to talk of what they were doing, but in our democracy even the fighting services must become “ publicity-minded.” He had an assurance from the Defence Ministers of every co-operation. Comparing the Ministry with that in Berlin, Lord Macmillan said we suffered under a handicap, for most of the propaganda and most of the information from Germany were lies.” 1 would rather we gave less information and true information rather than to issue to neutral countries and foreign countries a vast mass of material which is unreliable and untrue.” In the long run the Press would appreciate that the Ministry of Information consisted of authentic news and authentic statements only. HUNGARY TO REMAIN NEUTRAL LONDON, September 14. (Received September 15, at 10 a.m.) Count Teleki issued a statement that Hungary intends to remain neutral as she could not adventure because of her geographical position. GERMANY AND HOLLAND CLEARING AGREEMENT TO CONTINUE THE HAGUE, September 14. (Received September 15, at 10 a.m.) Germany and the Netherlands have agreed to maintain the clearing agreement, Germany promising to wipe out the arrears as soon as possible. ,

ing from the big ships, which seemed to carry seven guns on either beam. We made our aircraft as difficult targets as we could by manoeuvring. Then we straightened out and dropped our bombs. At once we rose into the clouds with shells bursting round us, and made for home after an effective smack at the enemy. Our flight all returned safely.” The original communique stated: “ Our aircraft encountered an air attack and fire, resulting in some casualties.” It can be affirmed, on official authority, that the total casualties were considerably fewer than the numbers mentioned.in German claims, which can only be described as a deliberate exaggeration.

Such of the cable news In this issue as is so headed has appeared in 1 The Times ’ and is sent to this paper by special permission, it should be understood that the opinions are not those of ‘ The Times ’ unless expressly stated to be so.