GREATER ACTIVITY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 October 1939, Page 7

GREATER ACTIVITY

GERMAN REGULARS MANNING WEST WALL Some Expectations of Early Effort ATTACKS IN CONSIDERABLE STRENGTH REPULSED BY THE FRENCH FORCES (By Telegraph'.—Press Association. —Copyright.) LONDON, October 10. A French official communique this evening states that “between the Moselle and the Saar there is very great activity by enemy reconnoitring parties. In this region we repulsed several surprise attacks, certain of which were delivered in considerable strength.” The Paris correspondent of the “New York Times” says that the reason for the German activity on the Rhine and the Moselle was revealed today. The West 'Wall is now manned entirely by regulars, many of whom probably fought in Poland. It is believed that with the peace offer virtually rejected, the Germans will act soon. Their reconnoitring activity is most marked in the Moselle and Saarbrucken sectors. Unlike the reservists, who have been replaced, the patrols do not retreat as soon as fired upon, but. persevere till they can throw grenades. Yesterday and today they were within grenade range of the French advanced positions, apparently hoping to entice the defenders to hand-to-hand skirmishing in which prisoners might be taken, but the French drove them off with machine-gun fire.