BRILLIANT OPERATION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 June 1940, Page 5

BRILLIANT OPERATION

KING THANKS FIGHTING SERVICES MESSAGE TO PRIME MINISTER. ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF FRENCH CO-OPERATION. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright. LONDON, June 3. The following message has been received from the King by the Prime Minister, Mr Churchill: — “I wish to express my admiration for the outstanding skill and bravery shown by the three Services and the merchant navy in the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force' from northern France. So difficult an operation was only made possible by brilliant leadership and indomitable spirit among all ranks. The measures of its success —greater than we had dared to hope—was due to the unfailing support of the Royal Air Force and, in the final stages, to the tireless efforts of naval units of every kind. “While we acclaim this great feat in which our French allies, too, played so important a part, we think with heartfelt sympathy of the loss and sufferings of brave men whose selfsacrifice turned disaster into triumph.”

TOWN TAKEN GERMANS CLAIM CAPTURE OF 40,000 PRISONERS. AND DESTRUCTION OF PLANES IN PARIS. (Received This Day, 9.40 a.m.) LONDON, June 4. The German High Command stated: “Our troops penetrated Dunkirk and took the Louis fort in face of desperate resistance. House to house fighting against, the French continues. A later communique claims the capture of Dunkirk and 40,000 Allied troops. Referring to the Paris raid the Germans claim that 79 planes were shot down and a further 300 to 400 destroyed in hangars or on the ground. Only nine- German planes are missing, “Elsewhere yesterday,” the communique states, “our anti-aircraft guns shot down 21 planes. Only nine of our planes are missing.”