Barrages On West Front

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20052, 26 September 1939, Page 6

Barrages On West Front

SORTIES AND COUNTER-ATTACKS French Superiority In Air Battles POLAND’S RESISTANCE TO INVADERS Defenders Of Warsaw And Modlin Fortress (Elec. Tel. Copyright.—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Sept. 2G, 1.50 p.m.) LONDON. Sept. 25. Paris reports state that the French artillery to-day began the direct bombardment of the main fortifications of: the Siegfried Line in an attempt to blast the Dormans from their positions. The Germans are replying' but are failing to make direct hits on the advanced French positions. The cannonades reached the intensity of great bombardments ol the last Avar. Hundreds of big guns are massed on both sides of: the front.

A Nazi mechanised detachment made a surprise encroachment on French territory in a quiet part of the Vosges sector. French shock troops took tlm offensive in the Saar and Palatinate regions and claim to have annihilated several German groups. The Drench consider the German armies not as powerful as in 1014 in numbers and fighting ability although there is no lack of equipment. The air battles yesterday gave full proof of the quality of French machines which are superior in speed and skill to the German fighters. For the first time since the war started, the stretch along the Rhine between Strasbourg and Basle was the scene of prolonged, violent cannonades. The reception given to counter-attacks elsewhere appears to have discouraged the Nazis. Forestalling German Offensive. The earlier reference to an improvement in the French positions on the Western Front relates to the rectification of the lines in the region of the Plies River and the Mardt Forest, the actual advance being several hundred metres. The Paris correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain says that French artillery supporting infantry attacks on the German flank fired plentifully high-calibre shells against the Siegfried Line from Karlsruhe to the Swiss frontier in order to forestall an expected German offensive. Military observers believe that to-day’s big gun action may be a prelude to a general offensive. The French troops driving towards Saarbrueken suddenly swung north in the direction of Blieskastel, where the main Siegfried Line begins. The Freneh, however, appear to he on the defensive against the German pressure at Wissembourg. The Germans are massing planes at strategic points near the Swiss border, thus indicating intensified aerial operations. The Germans arc also erecting aerodromes. Senegalese troops are effectively participating in the French operations.

M. Millcrand, who was the French War Minister in 1014. says he is completely confident, as France stood alone in 1914, whereas to-day Britain is quite ready. Ribbentrop Believed Impatient.

Tho Paris Soil- stated that a Jong; conference was held to-day by Ilcrr Hitler, Field-Marshal Goering and Herr Von Ribbentrop. It was reported that German planes in the eastern centres needed repairs and overhaul. It is said that ITorr Yon Ribbentrop is most impatient and favours an offensive through Belgium or Holland. The official German news agency in Berlin, however, says the suggestions that Germany is planning- to advance through Belgium! or Holland are a flagrant falsification and arc bound to give rise 1o suspicion .that such intentions exist in the Allies’ camp, a pretext being merely sought to carry them out. An official communique issued at Warsaw states that not a single building in Warsaw is intact. Most houses and public buildings are in ruins. About 100 fires have broken out. There are 7000 civilian casualties, nevertheless the morale of the army and the people is excellent, and the defence continues.

Warsaw states that the heroic defence of the Modliu fortress, which the Germans have cut off from Warsaw, continues, despite attacks from every side. Polish nocturnal sorties along the left bank of the Vistula resulted in tho capture of prisoners.

The Budapest correspondent of The Times states that. Polish former employees at the natural gasworks in Galicia, report that the Germans blew up pipe-lines, pumping stations and refineries supplying fuel to the Lvvow industries in order to prevent them falling into Russian hands.