WEST FRONT BATTLES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 May 1940, Page 5

WEST FRONT BATTLES

Attempted German Drive On Channel Ports

POWERFUL AIR ATTACKS CONTINUED BY ALLIED SQUADRONS In Germany and Invaded Territory MORE DAMAGE DONE TO ENEMY OIL DEPOTS NO IMPORTANT CHANGE ON WESTERN FRONT There has been no important change in the military situation on the Western Front in the past 24 hours, states a Daventry broadcast. The German troops have swung north-west in the hope of cutting off the Allied armies in Belgium and Northern France. The position is very confused in the SambreOise Canal area, where British, French and German tanks are intermingled. In the south, a German detachment which had crossed the Aisne has been driven back or captured. The R.A.F. continues its attacks on the enemy lines of communications and supplies. Oil refineries in North-western Germany were once again successfully attacked. South of Brussels operations were carried out against railways and bridges. On one railway bridge a direct hit was scored and damage was done to rolling stock. Troop and tank concentrations in the Aisne sector were attacked. From all these operations, in which a large number of machines took part, only two planes failed to return.

The R.A.F. also attacked an aerodrome in Norway north of Trondheim, where a large number of enemy aeroplanes were repeatedly bombed and machine-gunned by relays of British machines. Much damage is believed to have been done and several fires were started.

R.A.F. fighters also continued their engagements. In patrols over France and Belgium one squadron of Hurricanes sighted, over 100 enemy planes and in a series of conflicts destroyed 11 of them. Thirty German planes were destroyed by the R.A.F. yesterday and many others were heavily damaged. Fourteen British fighters are missing.

A French communique states that the German thrust is still very strong in the region north and west of St Quentin. In the Malmedy region fresh enemy attacks were repulsed. There is nothing of importance to report from the rest of the front. Aircraft have shown great activity and numerous reconnaissances have prepared the way for the bombing of the enemy, on whom heavy losses have been inflicted.