BATTLE LINES TRACED.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 143, 17 May 1940, Page 5

BATTLE LINES TRACED.

ZEELAND TO SEDAN.RECENT FIGHTING REVIEWEDLONDON, May 15. Without giving a fully-detailed picture, a review of the recent fighting in the battle lines through Belgium and along the French border may be made from the statements issuing from responsible circles in London and Paris to-day. Starting in the north, the Dutch Province of Zeeland, which includes the islands at the mouth of the Scheldt and at the Meuse, is still in Allied hands. Over the frontier in Belgium, Antwerp forms the bastion of the British left flank. Southward from there the Allies are holding a position covering Brussels on a line running east and south to Namur. German attacks on this front are developing heavily at some points. At Gembloux, about 29 miles south-east of Brussels, on the railway line to Namur, the enemy attacked with tanks, but did not press his attack very heavily. The result was that lie had heavy losses, specially in tanks, and a French coun-ter-attack drove the Germans back. R.IVER CROSSINGS.

South of Namur the line runs along the River Meuse through Dinant, to tlie French irontier, and then down to Kedan, the scene ot the largest attacks reported yesterday. The Germans are .making great efforts to cross the Meuse througnout that sector, and fighting has been very heavy, particularly round Dinant and Sedan. Most of the German attempts to cross the liver were driven back, but some of them have succeeded, notably at two or three points between Namur and Dinant. At these points the enemy got advance guards across the river and made small bridgeheads, which the French have now ringed .in their coun-ter-attack, with varying success. The battle is still in progress, and early this afternoon a French military spokesman said that the situation did not appear to he bad. Still further south, at Sedan, the Germans succeeded in crossing the river yesterday after occupying one point. They are said to have sent the best troops in the German army to this region. It should he explained that the French fortifications along this part of the frontier are not really part of the Maginot Line, though they are sometimes referred to by that name. In fact, if is a deep, fortified,zone in which at Sedan the Germans have driven a dent, though they have not reached the main fortifications. ENEMY SALIENT. Tlie French immediately launched a counter-attack which consolidated the position and some of the enemy were driven back into the river, but it is admitted that the counter-attack was not completely successful. The salient remains some five miles deep. Fighting is still in progress, but it is pointed out in Paris that if the position does not change the enemy is not in too favourable a situation. He has his force massed in this salient with the river at his back.

A French spokesman said to-day: “We have all the units necessary in this area. Throughout yesterday and last night the massave interventions from both tlie French and British Air Forces, have liad a great effect -on the enemy and have caused severe losses.” In front of Louvain, in what is described as the battle for Brussels, the Germans have fallen foul of strong British forces. In front of this famous city, which has already been abandoned by the populace, and is partly in ruins, tanks, armoured cars, lug guns and infantry have been battling all day, and the boom of the gunfire has been heard oven as far away as the soutlFof England.