DUTCH POSITION GRAVE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 141, 15 May 1940, Page 7

DUTCH POSITION GRAVE

TROOPS ORDERED TO CEASE FIRE BUT STATE OF WAR CONTINUES GRIM BATTLES ELSEWHERE (United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph —Copyright.) Received May 15/10.50 a.m. LONDON, May 14. A message from Amsterdam says the Commander-in-Chief of the Dutch Forces (General Winkelman) has ordered the troops at Rotterdam and Utrecht to cease fighting and maintain order until the arrival of the Germans. Fighting is to continue in Zeeland. A military spokesman states that the greater part of Rotterdam is aflame and that the situation is increasingly grave. A German mechanised column is reported in the vicinity of Dordrecht (south-east of Rotterdam) after a lightning drive across, North Brabant. An earlier Dutch Army communique says the enemy have fully occupied the northern provinces. “We hold Rotterdam and Helder in the Zeeland Province. The position in the Brabant Province is uncertain. Our frontier troops have withdrawn to the waterline.” Another report says the position is serious in Southern Holland, which the Germans are penetrating. v A Dutch night communique from Langstraat states: “The enemy has reached the Moerdyk bridge and crossed Hollandsch Diep. (Moerdyk bridge is the principal link between North and South Holland, and also between Holland and Belgium.) ALLIED REINFORCEMENTS IN BELGIUM. Big French and British reinforcements have arrived in Belgium in the past forty-eight hours. A Belgian communique states that during the night the Belgians took up new defence positions in good order and without loss, in accordance with the plan of operations. The Allied armies are supporting the Belgians. - “At Namur our troops are strongly resisting violent mechanised attacks, supported by air bombardment.” GREAT BATTLE APPROACHING. British and French forces are covering the territory east of Brussels, where a great battle is approaching. Brussels has not been bombed since Friday. It is learned that the Germans are nowhere nearer than 6 5 miles to Brussels.