THREAT TO ALLIED REAR IN BELGIUM

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 May 1940, Page 5

THREAT TO ALLIED REAR IN BELGIUM

Situation Rather Vaguely Defined CHANNEL PORTS HEAVILY BOMBED BY ENEMY BRITISH AND FRENCH COUNTER-ATTACKS The full gravity of the situation in Belgium and Northern France was indicated by the British Prime Minister, Mr Wins on Churchill, a Daventry broadcast states. Mr Churchill said that German armed forces had succeeded in penetrating to the rear of the Allied forces in Belgium and were attempting to destroy their lines of communication. Abbeville was now in enemy hands and hard fighting was proceeding elsewhere. It, was too early yet, said Mr Churchill, to say what the result- of the fighting would be. General Weygand, Commander-in-Chief of the Allied forces, was conducting operations involving all the Allied armies with a view to restoring the Allied front. In a commentary on the fighting, it was stated that the most serious position was in. the north, where a gap between the French and Allied forces at Arras and Bapaume, a distance of about 15 miles, still remained. ...German forces had got through this gap and were cutting telegraph communications and trying to destroy important points. The large number of refugees who were trying’ to leave the war areas made it even more difficult for Allied forces to operate. It was impossible to give any exact idea of the positions reached by the German forces, as they moved here and there. In these operations they were being assisted by the German air force, which has been bombing the coastal ports heavily. The ports were still being used at certain times. British troops were still firmly holding their positions around Arras. A British counter-attack resulted in 400 prisoners being taken and 300 Germans being killed. The French launched an attack at Cambrai, but there has been no news of a large-scale counter-attack. A French communique states that many encounters are taking place in different parts of the northern region. French troops have reached the outskirts of Amiens. A German attack in the Sedan area, preceded by strong artillery preparation, failed. Intense activity had taken place by French bombers day and night. Eighty German planes which were trying to make dive bombing attacks on troops were attacked by French machines. At least eight German planes were brought down. All the French machines got back safely. The German Official News Agency warned the German people that the bid for the Channel ports was no easy task and could net be compared with the Polish campaign. Before, the French coast could be occupied the Germans would have to take the whole of Northern France and Western Belgium, and these were still held by the Allies. The Germans, it was stated, might have to fight a big battle because of the extraordinarily strong enemy forces in these regions.

HEROIC EFFORTS

Tireless Activity of Allied Airmm

WIDESPREAD DAMAGE TO ENEMY COMMUNICATIONS

An Air Ministry communique reports widespread air operations behind the German lines in France and Belgium and raids in Germany as far away as Leipzig'. For hours on end British bombers swept over the battlefield areas of Northern France ( and Belgium and attacked troop concentrations, transport columns, communications, etc. A hundred heavy bombs were dropped on the headquarters of a German armoured division and many fell well within the target area. Five British machines failed to return. Extensive raids were carried out during the night without loss. Much damage was done to roads and railways in Southern Belgium and troop concentrations were heavily bombed north of Arras. At Leipzig an important power station was bombed. The air attacks severely interfered with the German lines of communication. Railway bridges and siding’s were bombed, an ammunition train was exploded and a railway wrecked. British fighters accounted for more than 40 German planes, cither destroyed or seriously damaged. Six British machines are missing.

A French military spokesman, describing German losses in the air, said a thousand German planes had been brought down on French soil alone.