GERMAN ADMISSION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 May 1940, Page 5

GERMAN ADMISSION

HEAVY LOSSES IN SOME PLACES CAPTURE OF ALLIED PRISONERS GREAT EXECUTION DONE BY FRENCH “75’5.” TANKS ADVANCE OVER PILED ENEMY DEAD. By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright. LONDON, May 20. The German news agency claims that an Allied tank and armoured car attack south-west of Brussels was repulsed and 20 tanks were destroyed. The German casualties on most of the fronts, it says, were slight, but it was possible that there were heavy losses at some places. The German agency adds: “The British forces are trying to retreat north-westward and the French south-westward, with the Belgian forces standing between.” Authoritative French sources, referring to an official German claim that they have counted so far 110,000 prisoners, excluding Dutch, said that in view of the great retirements it was not an enormous figure for the total Allied forces engaged. They added that the' Germans usually exaggerated thdir figures. In the westward push yesterday the Germans threw the whole weight of their available heavy and light tanks and armoured cars, strongly supported by planes, into the attack. French “75’5,” firing over open sights, have been having a powerful effect on the armoured columns and infantry, and there were bodies of German dead at one point in the line piled five feet high over which reinforcing tanks advanced.' The German losses were exceptionally heavy as the “75’s” swept the invaders in frontal and flank fire.

The spokesman of the French War Ministry last night said that the position at Landrecies was uncertain. There had been considerable fighting round there, and it was possible that German troops had entered St Quentin, but it was improbable that they had occupied it in force. There was extraordinary interlocking on both sides. The situation on the other fronts was unchanged. French counter-attacks in the Maubeuge region resulted in the recapture of'a number of positions. The strategic withdrawal of the British and Belgian troops in northern Belgium was progressing satisfactorily and numerous reinforcements were continually disembarking.