NAZIS ANSWERED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 162, 8 June 1940, Page 8

NAZIS ANSWERED

FRENCH COUNTER-ATTACK. VIOLENCE MAINTAINED. (United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) - PARIS, June 7. The French launched a vigorous counter-attack at the close of the day in the Ailette sector, where the Germans had earlier advanced. The French night communique states: “The battle continues on all fronts between the sea and the region of Chemin-des-Dames. The enemy has thrown in masses of tanks in groups of two to three hundred at numerous points. It is estimated that there are over two thousand German tanks engaged. • “Our divisions have fought magnificently and have tenaciously' clung to their strong points. Battalions, companies, platoons, and batteries have faced up to the onslaught of the tanks and have smothered them with their fire, several hundred tanks being destroyed “An unprecedented Cerman onslaught submerged and outflanked certain French units, particularly in the region of the Lower Somme, where enemy elements penetrated as far as thg Bresle River. German detachments also advanced in the region of Ailette until they reached the heights bordering the right, bank of the Aisne. “The battle is continuing with the same violence. The morale of our troops is splendid.” NAZI COMMUNIQUE. A German communique says the operations begun yesterday are proceeding according to plan. “Our troops have everywhere gained ground to the south-west. We nave increased the number of prisoners at Dunkirk to 58.000 and have captured war materials beyond our estimate. “Our air force yesterday bombed troop concentrations and marching columns behind the enemy front, and also attacked important aerodromes in Central France and the military and merchant harbour at Cherbourg. Last night our .’planes successfully attacked numerous aerodromes on the eastern and south-eastern coast of England. Tho enemy lost 143 ’planes yesterday; 19 of our ’planes are missing. The enemy last night continued their attacks on non-military objectives in Northern and Western Germany, but no substantial damage was done. We shot down three ’planes engaged in these operations.” The Official News Agency stated: ‘‘ln the region of Amiens and Peronne we have substantially pushed southward. We have also thrown back the enemy in the coastal sector and have sharply pursued him over heavily fortified positions. We have carried out numerous raids against- the air bases in England from which the R.A.F. are attempting to operate against the German army in France, also from where machines have carried out night flights over Germany. We have set fire to numerous hangars and docks.” A German war correspondent, broadcasting, said the French failure to destroy a railway bridge had enabled German armoured divisions to cross the Somme yesterday.