APPALLING LOSSES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 163, 10 June 1940, Page 7

APPALLING LOSSES.

MILLION GERMANS ENGAGED. LONDON, June 9. This piorning’s French communique says that the battle is continuing everywhere with the same violence as before It has now spread eastward as far as the Argonnes. The enemy at dawn launched a new and extremely powerful attack stretching from the region of Chateau Porcien to Le Chesne, which are, respectively, west and east of Itethel. The German pressure on the western flank which enabled them to push on to the River Bresle was only a prelude to the terrible onslaught which carried the battle away from the Channel end of the line to the centre. It was the throwing in of fresh divisions and armoured units that enabled the Germans to gain the heights bordering the Aisne River. The-Allied armies are fighting with great determination.

Commenting on the German losses, the military correspondent of the Petit Parisien says : “The territorial advantage acquired by Hitler does not compensate for the appalling losses. Germany- is apparently staking everything on this battle. We must not i feci exaggerated optimism or pessimism. ARMOURED UNITS’ THRUST. The French day communique stated: “Enemy armoured units, which were reported last evening toward the valley of the Upper Bresle, have increased their progress, and some advanced detachments, thrusting forward, have reached the region of Forges les EauxThe situation remains the same along all the rest of the front.” . (Forges les Eaux is a. small spa on the ParisDieppe road 38 miles south-west of Abbeville and 30 miles south-east of Dieppe.) . , In London authoritative circles state that it is thought that the infiltration of German armoured units to which the Paris spokesman referred is the penetration to the region ,of Forges les Eaux. Any lurm of infiltration must cause alarm, but the French statements indicate that the German armoured units concerned have overrun themselves and are being held. The reports this morning indicate that more than 1,000.000 Germans are engaged at present in the battle, but it is still thought that the main German attack may pot yet be revealed. The semi-official Tele-France Agency reports that 200 to 300 German tanks passed through the French line in the Bresle sector. With reference to the French withdrawal to several strong points between the sea and Soissons, the spokesman, in summing up, said the situation was serious, Dut the French were holding everywhere. The opposing forces were still grappling with each other with ever-increasing violence. The French repulsed repeated attempts to cross the Aasne west of Soissons after bitter fighting. General Weygand was still satisfied with the manner in which the battle was developing. ’ A Frencli wireless commentator said that the front now goes, from south of the River Bresle to south' of Ham (at the bottom of the Peronno-St: Quentin loop 6f the Somme), and continues ‘on high land to the north of Soissons. Pwliere it rejoins the course of the Aisne. This reduces the length of the front. •' • a-r. 1 -...