ALLEGED BATTLE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 September 1938, Page 7

ALLEGED BATTLE

SUDETEN REPORT DENIED OFFICIALLY AREA IN QUESTION STATED TO BE CALM. CONFUSION WITH ANOTHER “INCIDENT.” (Recd This Day, 9.30 a.m.) PRAGUE, September 14. Two thousand Sudetens and hundreds of Czech gendarmes and soldiers are reported to have engaged in a fight at Hebersprik, near Falkenau. Ten to fifteen gendarmes are reported to have been killed. The Sudeten casualties are unknown. An official communique denies the Sudeten report of a battle near Falkenau and declares that all was calm at 3 p.m. at Hebersprik. Official quarters say the Sudeten report must refer to an incident of yesterday, in which four gendarmes and two Henleinists were killed.

SUDETEN STORY POLICE STATION STORMED. GENDARMES SHOT DOWN. (Recd This Day, 9.55 a.m.) PRAGUE, September 14. The Sudeten version of the fight is that trouble started when Communists provoked Sudeten Germans. Gendarmes tried to intervene and a crowd followed them Jo the Police Station, from which a steady rifle fire was suddenly opened. The crowd thereupon stormed the station. The gendarmes tried to flee but all were shot down. The Sudetens armed themselves from the police stores. Czech soldiers are reported to have advanced against the rioters with heavy armoured cars. Police investigations reveal that many demonstrators vzere carrying weapons of foreign make. The authorities found an ammunition dump with Thuringian markings. SERIOUS CLASH. POLICEMEN & SUDETENS KILLED. (Recd This Day, 9.30 a.m.) PARIS, September 14. The Czech Legation and the French Foreign Office deny the Falkenau battle report, but confirm the report of a serious clash at Folknov, in which four oolicemen and two Sudetens were killed.

MARTIAL LAW EXTENDED TO ADDITIONAL DISTRICTS. PARTICULARS OF CASUALTIES. (Recd This Dav, 9.30 a.m.) PRAGUE, September 14. Martial law has been proclaimed in three more Sudeten districts and is now being enforced in eleven districts. Official figures of those killed since Herr Hitler’s speech are twelve Czechs and nine Sudetens killed, 37 Czech soldiers and 24 civilians seriously wounded. The number of Sudetens wounded is unknown. Two Czechs were killed today in clashes with the Sudetens. TOWN HELD BY HENLEINISTS. AFTER DAYS OF FIGHTING. (Recd This Day, 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, September 14. The “Daily Telegraph’s” Prague correspondent says that at 7 o’clock tonight Schwadersbach, where fighting has been in progress since Tuesday, is still entirely in the power of the Henleinists. Two gendarmes are reported to have been killed, several wounded and two captured by the Henleinists are held as hostages. The liquidation of the incident is rendered very difficult, as Schwadersbach is so close to the frontier that the Czechs fear it may provoke an international incident.