Precaution Against Nazi Invasion

Evening Star, Issue 23380, 25 September 1939, Page 5

Precaution Against Nazi Invasion

Renewed Activity on Western Front "Heavy Bombardment of French Lines Both Sides Reserving Bombers for Mass Attacks Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright ■S NEW YORK, September 23. The Paris correspondent of the 'New York Times' says that the British: and French forces have made full preparations to meet the German menace on the left flank. The menace is indefinite as yet, hut it is significant that Holland as a precautionary measure has opened sluices and an area around Utrecht is reported to be flooded. Belgium similarly is pouring water from the Alberta Canal into the country between Liege and Antwerp. Residents of Luxembourg are abandoning the German frontier and taking refuge in the interior. The British United Press correspondent at Amsterdam reports that, despite German denials of any intention to violate * Dutch neutrality, Holland is pressing on with the fortifications on the eastern frontier. Three defence lines are being constructed with the object of forming a better barrier than the present methods of mining bridges and bringing down trees on the main roads. The southern part of the frontier cannot Jje flooded as in the case of the north and centre, but large reservoirs are being constructed that would be filled with '■',, water in the event of an invasion. "';-■:,.; The inhabitants of the large eastern towns expect to be .* Evacuated.' Signposts and other indicators have been removed 1 • at crossroads near the frontier. • ; Y The continued German concentrations in the Aachen zone .-.'' are sufficient to warrant the precautions taken by the neutral countries. It was from Aachen that von Kluck's first army and von Bulow's second army marched simultaneously. The third army and the fourth army started from Malmedy and f-j the fifth army from Trier. ; A message from Berlin states that the German High Com'f;X inahd records artillery action at isolated points on the West- . .-lipids fire fqrccd.down a French air fight. • A Paris message states that the French repulsed an attack by German battalions on a wood, the offensive being conducted in three waves. It is reported that the-presence of General von Brauchitsch coincided with a marked renewal of local activity throughout the whole of the Western Front, including patrol engagements and a heavy bombardment of the French lines. German prisoners complain of the insanitary conditions in parts of the. Siegfried Line, where the cold and damp have affected the occupants, also the badly-ventilated concrete block■«.•:,_houses. . A French communique states: "The naval forces continue effectively to assure protection of the convoys by beating off enemy submarines." French and British warplanes were busy throughout the day protecting group movements against German observation planes. Both sides are reserving their bombers for mass attacks.