GERMAN BIDS ON WEST FRONT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20063, 9 October 1939, Page 7

GERMAN BIDS ON WEST FRONT

REPULSED BY MACHINE-GUNS CLASHES OCCUR IN NO MAN’S LAND INTERMITTENT ARTILLERY FIRE BERLIN CLAIMS GAIN IN AIR FIGHT (Eiee. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. October 9, 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, October 8. A Avar communique issued in Paris states that the night was quiet on the Western Front. It added: “Our fire has driven back enemy patrols to the south-west of Saar bracken:” A French communique issued yesterday morning stated that there had been activity of reconnaissance elements on the Western Front, especially in the region south-Avest of Saarbrueken. The Paris correspondent of the British United Press says that semi-official quarters to-day reported that repeated Avavos of German patrol attacks and a sudden increase in German artillery fire Avcrc experienced throughout yesterday. French artillery and machine-guns Averc engaged in the ceaseless task of repulsing Avavcs of German infantry southeast from Zwoibrucken. The German patrols are described as extremely tenacious. German artillery systematically shelled the French positions north-west of Sierck. Rain Checks Aerial Activity. Tlie Paris correspondent of the Ngav York Times in a message yesterday stated that the operations on the entire Rhine-Moselle front all the week had been confined to scouting parties and intermittent artillery fire. It mostly had been raining and few planes had been aloft. “Land patrols invariably are small,” continued the correspondent. “They creep over no man’s land at night to reconnoitre. Sometimes they. meet enemy scouting parties and the endeavour is made to seize prisoners for questioning. “An exchange of shots rouses the trenches and there is a general fusillade. Machine-guns are brought into action. Field guns lay a barrage. Howitzers pound the rear and immobilise reinforcements. Fire'answers fire until the entire sector is ablaze. Occasionally in the day time German raids, hundreds strong, attempt to dislodge outposts.” .« A German High Command communique issued in Berlin yesterday stated that French observation planes attempted to cross the Rhine River near Bonn, but were' driven off., One Avas shot doAvn at Godesberg. Another made a forced landing. The cmv Avere taken prisoners. To-day a German High Command communique stated that in the west artillery on both sides Avere active yesterday. There Avas isolated firing during the night. “The advance of German troops toAvards the Russian-German demarcation line in Poland is proceeding according to plan,” added the communique. 1