BATTLE FOR WARSAW

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 231, 8 September 1939, Page 3

BATTLE FOR WARSAW

MAJOR, CLASH AWAITED • HEROIC STAND BY .POLES INVADERS’ OYKRWHiaYriNG NUMBERS _GER Man AriNOJTI'I Y SABOTAGE LONDON; Sept. 6. ■ To-day’s message' from "Warsaw stall'd that a major battle tor the Capital was expected liourly. Machine Sims were heard. Chattel ins 011 the edse of the city. Warsaw reportedheavy fighting 30 miles north-north-east- of Warsaw- on a, line, joinins Plonsk and Gieuhanow. This- is likely to bo the' first decisive battle since the invasion. •11 .the Poles were unabie to hold! the Germans their last stand bo lore the capital would Jie: Xov-vdwor, do miles to the north-west. The Germans are strongly .supported by tanksand were in seeminsly overwhelming nnmbers. The Warsaw communique states that the Germans today reached a point between Ponsk and C hieehmiow, bringing the advance of motorised units 3-3 miles northward of Warsaw. On the smith-west the Poles were holding overwhelming numbers of the enemy. There was sharp lighting in the Warta-knmiensk region southwest of Warsaw. The Last Prussian front was unchanged. On the .southwestern front the enemy was repelled and his forces Jieldl in check. Budapest reports that a Polish radio announcement interrupted a programme, appealing. for citizens to report to- the nearest, police witlf spades to dig trenches around Warsaw. It was. declared that all man-power was needed. It was reported from Lublin that the Polish defence was haudticapped by sabotage carried on by-the German minority'. A whole village in the Lublin district, hearing gunfire, rushed out shouting: -“lied Hitler." Many were arrested for espionage.. LONDON ESCAPES BOMBERS ON THE COAST lI'INKIMY LVnOtUEPTE!) ONE GERMAN PLANE DOWN LONDON, Sept. (5, It is officially announced that enenn ait craft was reported near the East Coast of England early this morning, hut did* not penetrate the British do foil cos. No damage is reported. The Ministry of In forma lion latei stated that anti-aircraft units and fighters had repulsed., enemy bombers. One Hi itisli machine liad crashed, and another liadl been lorcetl down. The • pilot of the first plane was wounded in the head. The pilot ol the second eommaiKleored a -ear, drove to his airport, re-ascended and reengaged the enemy. A dog-tight between British and Gorman planes was reported between Rochester and Chatham. Twenty raiders going towards Loudon were uitercepted by gunfire and by Spitfire machines. It is believed that at least one German plane was Itronghi down. Sounding cf Alarm The aluim was .sounded in Loudon at U. 42 a. 111.. and continued until 5).02 a. lll. No planes wore seen, and no gunfire heard. There was no sign of panic. People remained in their collars lor the first half-hour, alter which they emerged and went to their offices. Transport was stopiK’d, and! people journeyed to - the City on font, carrying their ‘lunch hikes’ -as the gasmasks have been nicknamed. Gunfire and. earth shocks are reported from, the east and west ol London. It is ollicially stated Unit Gorman planets were seen, and driven off, at Chatham. Gunfire, was heard, and shcllbursts seen. smith-east of I llord. An earlier imi-i ntirmed report stated that the sound of gunfire was audible along; Ihe Thames, suggesting an action in the vicinity of the Thames Estuary. Gunfire on the eastern horizon "’as visible from Loudon rooftops last night.