MOVEMENTS OF FRENCH ARMY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20072, 19 October 1939, Page 6

MOVEMENTS OF FRENCH ARMY

TACTICS TO MEET NAZI PUSH GERMANS STILL POURING INTO LINE BUSY TIME FOR RECONNAISSANCE UNITS BRITISH TROOPS TAKE OVER SECTOR (Klee. 7VI. Copyright—-United Press Assn.) ( Reed. (k'l. PL - I>.)H ) LUX DON. Oct. IS. Reports from Prance slate that while* the Herman communique claims a French retirement between the Moselle and the Palatinate Purest, the Tact is that the thinned P.reneh outposts waited till the Hermans were advancing and then fired rockets as a signakto the artillery and machine-guns which opened a barrage. The Preneli. meanwhile, were falling hack to prc-arrang’ed positions. Trains and motor wagons poured in Oermans througnoul the night behind Ihe lines. It is revealed that hundreds of British guns, ranging from massive howitzers to motorised anti-tank guns, are massed in the British sector ol the Western Pront. Paris queles the highest authority for stating that the operations of the last few days \\(ere carried out according to the plans of Ihc Preneli Command. “Our units are in conlact with the enemy at certain points and resisled wilhoul yielding an inch.” proceeds the statement. “Other points were withdrawn in accordance with instructions. The troops everywhere punctually carried out orders.” German Reinforcements. The Oermans to-night were reported to he still rushing up reinforcements to support, the units which had gained a precarious footing in the vicinity of Preneli territory on the extreme norfhern Hank of the Western Front from which the French strategically retired on Monday. The correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain declares that thousands of men and troops are pouring into the lighting zone. Others are hastily erecting barbed-wire barricades and digging 1 reaches and tank traps in the positions reached during Monday’.s offensives. A night communique states that there was no change along the whole front. Reconnaissance units were very active, notably between the Moselle and the Saar. In announcing that the British Expeditionary Force had now finally taken over its allotted sector in the French line and that all divisions were in position, the Prime Minister. Mr. Neville Chamberlain, said in the House of. Commons today : “ We are proud to know that our men are thus standing to arms beside the soldiers of France, I,or •whose patriotism, determination and magnificent qualities we have such a deep admiration.” Mr. Chamberlain also said that since lie had lasi spoken activity had been unremitting in attack and defence and the whole nation was grateful to the navy lor its ell oris to ward off enemy attack and remove the menace of the submarine so 1 hat a steady How of trade might remain unbroken.