ACTIVITY IN WEST

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 237, 22 September 1939, Page 4

ACTIVITY IN WEST

artillery exchanges GERMANS s MASS - BOMBERS GENERAL POSITION. UNCHANGED LONDON, Sept, 20. Paris reports state that heavw artillery exchanges are the dominating feature ot activity on the Wo item lfreut. The situation otherwise is unchanged. It is reported that a new German attack was beaten off on the Western Front yesterday. The French communique quoted state's: “A local enemy attack east of the‘lilies River was repulsed. There was ene.my aviation activity in the same region.” An earlier attack withered when faced with heavy machine-gun and antitank gunfire, supported by a heavy artillery barrage. A further communique issued in Baris to-day after a meeting of the French Council of ministers announced that the Premier. AlDaladicr, Intel presented a fully-documented report on the military and diplomatic situation. The council unanimously adopted the reports and c.oiielu.sions. The’council approved the military, economic; and' ‘inancinl measures designed to continue the wiir to definite victory. A Ftench writer, “Commandant B,” says that the Germans alter evacuating Aachen, are biinging troops to the -.own lin'd concentrating large numbers of planes, reported to include loGf; to L<S(.)(> bombers in the surrounding districts. A Berlin Message states it is of.ec■nlly reported thnr. the German Com-'.minder-iu-Clii.’i, General Brauebitsih visited the Riiincla’jd front lines on Tuesday and d,is .-ussed auti-I'rtmli operations wn.li the Nazi commanders. ATTACKS ON WAILS AW STILL BEING REPULSED it USSI AN “STAB IN THE BACK” HEA BTBBOKEN O.FF.ICivil 1S LONDON. Sept. 20. A Warsaw message states that the eouimaiidant of the defence army, in a communique to-day. said that repeated German attacks fipin the east on tin' city and suburbs were repulsed with heavy Josses. 'The invaders were ejected from the southern positions and the Poles wen 1 successful ill a counter-offensive on the western outskirts. A Budapest message quotes a communique wirelessed to \\ arsaw stating that the defences were broken. Nazi airmen bad destroyed the Belvedere Palace and Parliament Buildings and damaged St. John’s Cathedral. The civilian casualties were large. Public parks were being used as cemeteries. A German air bomb 101 l on a house where GO German prisoners were held, killing 27 and wounding 35. Al. Lipiiiski, the Polish military commentator, broadcasting from Warsaw to-nigbt. however, announced that tin* German attacks were continuing on Lwow. which, like Warsaw, was still resisting.

A subsequent German communique announced: “One ol the biggest battles of extermination of all time is proceeding on the curve of the A istula near Kutno. Our troops, wliieli advanced to the lino ol Strvj. Lwow, Brest-1 Jtovsk and Bailystok will, after destroying the enemy • everywhere, retire according to plan to tin* demarcation line finally laid down hy Russia and Germany.” Moscow also reports that Nazi army and air officials arrived in Aloseow to-

day by air from Herr Hitler’s headquarters to consult regarding the. Russian and German Problems in Poland. It is understood! in Alosco.w that France has asked lor an explanation of Russia’s intervention in Poland.

,A report from Cernauti, Rumania, states that a brief conference of Russian and Rumanian chiefs discussed the new frontier control, but a final settlement was not made. A Polish staff captain told Reuter’s representative at Cernauti that the Polish troops wore able to held out tor a lew more days. Polish ‘ officers reaching Rumania are heartbroken because the Russian “stab in the back” compelled them to abandon the main struggle. However, there is universal ..confidence in the rebirth of a new Pebuuf.

The Polish Embassy in London states that reports in the press that the Cominauder-in-C'liiof of the Polish Army, Marshal Smigly-R.ydz has left Polish territory for Rumania are untrue. It is stated that the ALttshal, together with his headquarters, remains with the army in Poland and continues to direct military operations. AVAILS AW HURLS DEFJANCR PLIGHT OF CIVILIANS POLKS ASK DESPAIRINGLY “WHY G KRAI ANY NOT BOMBED” LONDON, Sept. ‘2O. The’ Warsaw radio continues to hull defiance at the encircling Nazis. Weary-voiced announcers are working in relays to describe each new horror. Admitting that the Russian advance is reducing Warsaw to a “tiny island in a sea of enemy-occupied areas.” the announcer declared that shells were raining on the city as lie spoke. Warsaw’s public parks are converted into burial grounds, because the cemeteries are full.

A Budapest message says the 'Germans claim that there i s now no Polish resistance, except south of Warsaw and at the fortress ol Aladlin. A typhoid epidemic las broken out <n Galicia alter the destruction of the sanitation and water supply.

Russians are reported to have bombed tlm Polish town of Buczaze.

.More than JOOO Polish infantrymen have crossed the l zosk* Pass, in hitter cold, hearing tahvs ol terror instituted by roving bauds of Ukrainians and Whitt* Russians, who are sweeping the countryside. , A lore than 20,000 civilians are now taking refuge, in Hungary. These present a most pitiful sight. Among them are scantily-chid children, round many of whom Hungarian soldiers wrapped their greatcoats.