Fighting On Western Front

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20052, 26 September 1939, Page 5

Fighting On Western Front

FRENCH RAID ZEPPELIN WORKS Explosions Heard In Siegfried Line BRITISH PLANES FLY OVER GERMANY New Army With Spirit Of “Old Contemptibles” (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Sept. 26, 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 25. An official communique issued in Paris states that there * was a local improvement in Ihe French positions. The enemy artillery was active south-east of Zweibracken. The German High Command states that small skirmishes have taken place on the Western Front. The British Ministry of Information announced that Royal Air Force aircraft carried out successful daylight reconnaissance flights yesterday over Western Germany. Last night reconnaissance flights took place over Western Germany and north-west Germany in the course of which leaflets were dropped. All of our aircraft returned safely and no serious opposition was encountered. . A military observer attached to the field force in France sums up the impression made by the British troops as follows: “We have an army lacking nothing of the fighting spirit of those described in earlier days as ‘contemptible.’ It is impossible to encounter them without feeling pride and confidence that the army will acquit itself with honour.” Works Put Out Of Action. The correspondent of the Associated Press of America at liomanshorn, Switzerland, to-day reported that an air raid carried out by cither British or French planes put out of action the Friedrich,shafen Zeppelin works which recently were converted into an aeroplane motor factory. The explosions could be beard from liomanshorn. It i.s reported from Brussels that an explosion occurred in underground tunnels of the Siegfried Line near Minden and caused extensive damage, holding up work on the line. A Berlin radio message announced that eight French planes had been shot down at Friedrichshafen. The German radio declared that the raiders were routed and dropped no bombs. The Paris journal Le Jour declares that Poland allowed France and Britain to mobilise in peace. “Their forces are now ready and in such a complete and perfect state of’ organisation, that we begin the war in perfect order,” states Le Jour. Le Matin declares: “The impressive French and British Army is the only bulwark against Hitler and Stalin.” Le Figaro warns Frenchmen to carry gasmasks to protect themselves against Germany’s “secret weapon.” namely, poison-gas propaganda.