POSITION SATISFACTORY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 May 1940, Page 6

POSITION SATISFACTORY

IN EUROPEAN BATTLE AREA

According to French Commentator

IMPORTANT FIGHTING ROUND CAMBRAI GERMAN PENETRATION OF SCATTERED AREAS (By Telegraph. —Press Association. —Copyright.) (Received This Day, 11.0 a.in.) PARIS, May 23. ' Well-informed military quarters declare that the situation is developing satisfactorily for the French. A military spokesman estimated that the Allies had brought down at least a thousand German planes on French soil alone since May 19. ±-e described the action around Cambrai as the biggest part oi tne battle, which was also continuing along the Scheldt River. After extremely violent, fighting between Cambrai anu Valenciennes, Allied troops yesterday reoccupied a stretch ci territory reaching to the outskirts of Cambrai. Violent artillery duels at the north-western end oi tne Maginot Line might he the forerunner of a German attack. °The German penetrations of scattered areas between Arras and the Somme are purely local. The Germans are unable to consolidate their positions. The French attacked small motorcycle advance units, forcing them to retreat with losses. The French War Cabinet has agreed that the Government; shall not evacuate administrative functions from Paris. The "War Cabinet also decided that there shall be no further evacuation of civilians from any section of France unless it is authorised by the High Command. 7 Two new German air raids occurred over towns in Cental France, in which refugees were sleeping in the streets. Six were killed.

BRITISH ATTACK

REPORTED ENEMY LOSSES. NO REALLY BIG OPERATION YET STARTED. (Received This Day, 11.5 a.m.) LONDON. May 23, It is authoritatively stated that 300 Germans were . killed and 400 taken prisoners in a British counter-attack yesterday. Many German tanks were destroyed. There is no big German drive against the French line on the Aisne. A warning is given against undue optimism resulting from the new counter-at-tacks. There is nothing to indicate that a really big counter-attack has started. Yesterday’s British counterattack was between Arras and Douai, but the exact direction is unknown. NAZI INVENTIONS REGARDING GENERAL GAMELIN AND VISCOUNT GORT. (Received This Day, 10.55 a.m.) LONDON, May 23. A German broadcast that General Gamelin has committed suicide and that Viscount Gort (British Comman-der-in-Chief) has gone to England is untrue. Viscount Gort is with the British Expeditionary Force. GERMAN REPORT (Received This Day, 11.5 a.m.) LONDON, May 23. The German High Command claims that the Germans are advancing slowly across the Scheldt, despite fierce resistance. The battle is still proceeding. The report continues: “The territory of Mormal, south-east from Valenciennes, has been cleared of French forces. An enemy attack near Cambrai was repulsed by a joint land and air counter-attack, with heavy enemy losses. “In Western Artois the Germans are advancing towards Calais. “The Battice Fort, at Liege, surrendered with twenty officers and 650 men. “German planes are harassing the enemy’s communications and troop concentrations. German reconnaissance planes over the Channel sank three transports and one tanker and damaged a destroyer. They successfully bombed Dunkirk and Dover. Speed-boats sank an enemy destroyer off Dunkirk. “Unfavourable weather yesterday hampered the air forces on both sides. The enemy lost nine planes. Five German planes are missing. “An enemy battle-cruiser was hit off Narvik and one transport was sunk and two were damaged. “The enemy last night continued raids on non-military objectives. British planes bombed Nymegen and Waapwyk in the Low Countries. Several civilians were killed. Three hundred and forty two enemy planes have been lost between May 10 and May 15.”

It is authoritatively stated in London that Germans claims that Dover was bombed are untrue.

DAYS OF BATTLE

ALLIED COUNTERATTACK MAY BE DELAYED BUT HIGH HOPES OF ACTION IN TIME. SOME ENEMY ADMISSIONS. (Reccived-This Day, 1.15 p.m.) LONDON. May 23. The battle for the North French and Belgian coast continues. An I Allied counter-attack may not be possible for several days, but hopes are high that General Weygand will organise it in sufficient time to change what is authoritatively admitted to be a very grave situation. The Germans claim that they are already pressing on towards Calais, but declare that it is first necessary to occupy the whole of the territory in North France and Belgium still held by the Allies. The Germans admit that the Allied troops in this region ake the elite of the British and French armies, whose fighting power is unbroken. German progress is slow at the northern end of the pincers movement, where they are encountering the fiercest resistance. The Germans also admit that French pressure has increased at Valenciennes, but “The Times” military correspondent emphasises that high hopes should not be founded on these counter-attacks, which are local and designed to decrease the gap through which the Germans are pressing forward towards the coast. Many planes seen over the Channel are believed to be hostile. English watchers saw French anti-aircraft guns open up. They are believed to have shot down one plane. FRENCH REPORT LAND AND AIR FIGHTING. (Received This Day. 1.5 a.m.) LONDON, May 23. A French night communique states: “Very numerous combats occurred at various points in the northern region. Our advanced elements reached the suburbs of Amiens. An enemy attack after intense artillery preparation failed southward from Sedan. An artillery duel extended from Longuyon to the Moselle. There is intense activity on the part of our bombing aircraft by day and night. During the evening our fighters drove back four squadrons of enemy bombers, each consisting- of a score of machines, which were endeavouring to dive-bomb our battlefront. All our planes returned. At least eight German planes were shot down.” HOSTS OF REFUGEES THREE MILLION TN FLIGHT. (Received This Day, 11.5 a.m.) LONDON, May 23. It is estimated that three million refugees have fled from Belgium, Holland, Luxemburg and Northern France and there are still a million on the roads of France.