CIVIL CASUALTIES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 139, 13 May 1940, Page 7

CIVIL CASUALTIES

ESTIMATES IN FRANCE. NEARLY 150 DEAD. E.A.E. REPRISALS. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph .—Copyright.) Received May 13, 9.43 a.m. LONDON, May 12. Official Paris estimates of the civilian casualties in France in, the last two days from Germau air raids put the number of dead at 148 and wounded at 337.. The British Air Ministry announced at noon : “During last night Royal Air Force aircraft carried out further bombing attacks against enemy troop concentrations and military traffic on the roads and railways at a number of points in Germany near the frontier of Holland.” GERMAN CLAIMS. A special announcement of the German High Command claims that 58 Allied ’planes were shot down during the morning, including twenty Spitfires. It .also claims that ’planes sank a British cruiser in the North Sea. A communique states that in North Holland the Germans occupied the Province of Groningen and reached Harlingen, also that a further 64 Allied ’planes were shot down, making a total of 300. A single enemy ’plane last night flew over West Germany and attacked non-military objectives without result. The German loss of ’planes in comparison with successes is slight. Thirty-five are missing. lEVADEKS CHECKED. ALLIES’ RAPID ADVANCE. EARLIER REPORTS. LONDON, May 11. To-day’s latest Drench communique says: “Our movements in Belgium have continued. The enemy is unable, despite his violent attacks, to effect any new advance in south Luxembourg.” A communique issued in London states: , “The Germans are attempting to prevent the movement of Allied troops in the direction of the Belgian frontier by machine-gunning roads and points of communications. The Allied Air Force is replying vigorously, as also are the anti-aircraft units which are accompanying the convoys or which have taken up positions for the protection of open towns or engineering works. The Belgian and French populations continue calm-” The French official evening communique states: “Our troops pursued their advance, Belgians supporting the Allied troops at various points. There was action by their advance units. The advance is rapidly progressing. The enemy continued his violent attacks, and fresh- German troops have landed in Holland by parachute and aeroplanes. Counter-strokes are in progress, supported by the R.A.F. . “In Southern Luxembourg the enemy has suffered considerable losses. To the west of the Moselle he launched to-day a sharp local attack, which was quickly cheeked. There is nothing to on the front between the Moselle and the Swiss frontier.

“German aviation continued its bombing action on French, territory. Having regard to the number of aircraft employed the results obtained were negligible. Our aviation replied by violently bombing German aerodromes as well as military objectives of first importance.” The Dutch High Command announced this afternoon: “French and British military forces have come to our assistance, and are now working with the Dutch forces to defend our country. Our frontier troops have offered courageous resistance to the Germans, and were yesterday withdrawn slightly, after having accomplished the necessary work of destruction. NAZI TRAIN DESTROYED.

“The little town of Mil, near the frontier, which yesterday was occupied by the Germans, was to-day recaptured by our men. As a result of a Dutch counter-attack the whole of a German armoured train, together with its contents and occupants, was destroyed. In this train were found pamphlets printed in Dutch, and Dutch uniforms. “Our troops occupying Panncrden fort on the River Waal are holding out against the attackers. The Germans have crossed the River Yssel below Arnhem.” A Belgian communique states: “Our Army contacted the enemy and lighting is occurring on the Albert Canal, the Meuse and at Ardennes. Large enemy forces supported by ’planes and tanks attacked the Maastricht region and succeeded’in gaining a foothold in the Belgian defensive positions. “Our troops in Luxembourg continued their movements according to plan and vigorously held up the invader, Our positions round Liege are intact.” A later Belgian communique states: “We have maintained contact with the enemy in many different sectors. We lia.ve captured most of the enemy parachutists and also brought down 15 enemy ’planes.” ... BERLIN VERSION. ’/ DESTRUCTION OF ’PLANES. • - BERLIN, May 11. A German communique states: “1 he German armies have defeated the enemy frontier forces everywhere in Belgium and Holland and are rapidly advancing despite the destruction of bridges and the raising of barriers. The German Air Force carried out its first big attack on French, Belgian and Dutch air bases yesterday. Our ’planes bombed 72 aerodromes and destroyed 300 to 400 ’planes on the ground, in addition to numerous hangars/’ The German radio claims that only seven aeroplanes were lost over Holland yesterday. It adds that the Germans destroyed 19 French aeroplanes on one aerodrome. The High Command claims that the strongest fortress of the fortifications commanding the River Maas and Albert Canal westward of Maastricht was surrendered'this afternoon. The commander and, 1000 men were taken prisoner.