WARSAW WARNED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20045, 18 September 1939, Page 7

WARSAW WARNED

an army behaving as chivalrously, fairly, and generously as the Germans to Warsaw.

ULTIMATUM GIVEN CALL TO SURRENDER TWELVE HOURS ALLOWED “GERMAN GENEROSITY” ENVOY" TO BE RECEIVED (Reed. Sept. 18, 10 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 17. According to radio and the official German news agency, the Warsaw commander asked the commander of the besieging army to receive a Polish emissary to discuss a German ultimatum for the surrender of the city. The Germans agreed. Later the German High Command broadcast direct to Warsaw directions to the representatives of the civil population to negotiate under white flags for their withdrawal from the city.

The Munich radio also announced that Warsaw was armed, and would be completely destroyed unless it surrendered. The 3 a.m. ultimatum obviously was an earnest of things to come.

The Germans launched a terrific artillery bombardment.

The Polish Government announced by radio that Warsaw was now almost a single torch of flame. Two hundred heavy German guns were pouring in shells and incendiary bombs.

Most of the civilians were taking refuge in their cellars, while buildings were collapsing and catching on fire. Hundreds had been killed, including invalids and children.

The Lithuanian Legation and a Protestant church were destroyed by low-flying planes. Four hundred fires were raging in various parts of the city.

A communique issued at Warsaw' on Friday said that the army of the Corridor smashed through the German lines from their rear and entered Warsaw with over 1000 prisoners.

A Broadcast from Lwow stated that a car containing members of the British Embassy staff was caught in machine-gun fire from a German plane flying at a height of 150 ft. near Krzemieniec. There were no casualties. The car contained a woman and some children.

The German High Command yesterday 1 ! presented a 12-hour ultimatum, which expired at 3 a.m. to-day, calling on Warsaw to surrender, according to a German radio broadcast.

At midnight the same station announced that the Polish commander, General Czuma, had refused to comply. War planes later roared over the citv, dropping millions of leaflets containing the text of the ultimatum, which demanded the surrender of the city and garrison. If this was refused, civilians would be given 12 hours to evacuate, by two specified routes, after which Warsaw would be considered.a military objective, and become an active theatre of war.

The Polish Government communique received in Paris last night declared that their troops, besieged in the Kutno area, penetrated the German lines and entered Warsaw. The Poles to the south smashed a motorised regiment, and took 1200 German prisoners, killed 2000 and captured 43 tanks and 11 cannons. A further Berlin reriort stated that the German Army authorities had issued a 12-hour ultimatum to the people of Warsaw to leave the city, which had been declared an active war area. Bombardment was likely at any time after 3 p.m. on Sunday.

The German radio explained that there was no example in history of