POLISH RESISTANCE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20033, 4 September 1939, Page 5

POLISH RESISTANCE

Heroic Stand Near Danzig STERN FIGHT WAGED IN THE AIR Suffering by Civilians in Bombing Raids (Klee. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (.Reed. Sept. 4, 10 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 2. The Polish Embassy in London, has issued a statement, and says that it is officially reported that the German attack was treacherously launched a few hours after the Polish Ambassador at Berlin informed the Reich that Poland was sympathetic to I he peace efforts of Britain. Simultaneous action included tank attacks on three fronts and aggression at all points, which met with resolute defence, notably by the garrison at Westerplatte. Warsaw’s short-wave station early this morning broadcast a salutation, by the Supreme Commander of the Polish Army, Marshal Smigly-Rydz, to the heroic garrison at Westerplatte in repelling four German attacks. “Poland expects you to hold the fort to the last,” he declared. Westerplatte guards lire entrance to Danzig ha rbour. The Warsaw correspondent of the British United Press says that a Polish broadcast announces that the Poles had brought down 37 German planes and destroyed many German Links. The Polish. Air Force has lost 12 planes. The Polish Embassy in London states that German planes bombed Warsaw six times on Friday. The Warsaw correspondent of tire Associated Press of America says flint air raid sirens caused residents to .scurry to shelter live limes during Saturday,, but German planes •appeared over the city only once, in mid-afternoon, when they were, driven off by anti-aircraft, guns. The Warsaw representative of the United Press of America says that it was officially announced that, over 1500 people were killed in air raids on Polish cities. The Wat saw correspondent, of the Associated Press of America describes inspecting the ruins of a, bombed apartment house in a workers’ quarter in which there were 21 dead. Thirty injured persons so far have been recovered from the debris. The Paris correspondent of the United Press says that Warsaw radioed that part of Poland’s holy city, Czestochowa, was in ilamcs after an aerial bombardment. Sixteenth-century cloisters were burning. Up to Saturday evening there had been 94 German air raids, including one on a Hospital at Wei Inn. 1 There is heavy lighting between the Germans and Boles in the Carpathians, the most bitter struggle being in the mountainous parts of Jurgov and Zakopane. The Germans crossed the Carpathian ridge, beating back the Polish defences, but the, Poles counter-attacked and regained part of the ground they had lost. Detachments of Poles are engaged ,in guerilla warfare at the rear of the German line.