GERMANS MASSING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 December 1939, Page 7

GERMANS MASSING

IN VICINITY OF NEUTRAL FRONTIERS DISCONTENT REPORTED AMONG TROOPS. SUPPRESSION OF CHRISTMAS LEAVE. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. LONDON. December 19. The correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph" at Eupen, Belgium, says that the massing of German troops between the left bank of the Rhine and the Luxem’berg. Belgian and Dutch frontiers continues, involving 20 army corps, each composed of two to three divisions and partly augmented by troops from central Germany and Poland. Mechanised divisions along Ihe Rhine have been largely reinforced and the firing power increased. The relations between the troops and local civilians are unsatisfactory. Descontent is openly shown by German troops because of the suppression of Christmas leave. The French official communique last evening stated: "Toward midday a sharp engagement took place in the Vosges section between one of our reconnoitring parties and German units. We made some prisoners, including two officers, it was quiet elsewhere.” The German communique stated: — “Artillery fire between the Moselle and Pfaelzer Wood is more active. Our air force carried out reconnaissance flights in eastern France.”