German Drives In Poland

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20036, 7 September 1939, Page 7

German Drives In Poland

MAIN ATTACK FROM SILESIA Defenders Making Strategic Retreat HEAVY TOLL OF DAMAGE IN WARSAW Plan To Transfer Government Believed

(Elec. Tel. Copyright.—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Sept. G, 3 p.ra.) LONDON, Sept. 5. The correspondent of the British United Press states that the five German attacks operating in the Polish Corridor area have narrowed, but the Poles are counterattacking south of Cracow. The war is said to be proceeding almost in every way according to plan. The Poles are withdrawing quickly enough to avoid wasting men and munitions and lowering their morale, though they arc holding out with heroic bravery at outposts like the Hcl Peninsula -and the Wosterplattc ammunition dump, in the last named instance despite broadsides from the cruiser Schleswig Holstein. 1 lie Poles are carefully withdrawing to the country’s natural defences along the rivers, Vistula and Bug. thus lengthening the enemy communications. It is reported that offensives from Prussia reached Prscasnysz, 40 miles from the capital. The main German attack is from Silesia in Eastern Germany, supported by drives from East Prussia towards Gdynia and across the .Vistula and also the northward drive with Slovakian aid across the Carpathians into Southern Poland in order to execute a pincers movement. The Polish, agency in Paris reports that the Germans bombed from the air 31 towns and villages in the past 30 hours. It is estimated that 1000 planes were engaged, of which the Poles brought down more than 75. The Polish agency in Warsaw confirms that 30 planes bombed Berlin, but the British Information Ministry has no official knowledge of the occurrence. The British Associated Press reports that Berlin was under a black-out to-night, but there was no sign of hostile planes up to 11.40 p.m.. A Budapest report states that Warsaw has been partly destroyed under heavy German shelling and the continuous air raids. It is believed that the Polish Government has already evacuated the capital, proceeding to Lublin. An unconfirmed report states that the Polish commander, Marshal Smigly-Rydz offered his resignation. The German-Hnngarian and Slovak-Tlungarian frontiers were closed at 8.40 o’clock to-night. Reuter’s London Agency says that the Belgians report that 'explosions occurred at Aachen, otherwise Aix-la-Chapcllc, Germany.