GERMAN THRUST

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 June 1940, Page 5

GERMAN THRUST

RECONNAISSANCE FORCES REACH SEINE

OUTSKIRTS OF ROUEN REACHED.

VAIN ATTEMPTS TO CROSS RIVER.

A French communique, broadcast by Daventry, states that German reconnaissance forces have reached the outskirts of Rouen and have tried in vain to cross the Seine. A French military spokesman said the situation was very serious, but not desperate. The loss of territory was not important if they wore down the enemy. ENEMY REPORT MOVE TOWARDS LOWER SEINE. "RICH BOOTY” SECURED. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received This Day, 10.5 a.m.) LONDON, June 9. The German High Command states: “During the four days’ battle in the region of the Somme and the Oise strong enemy forces were defeated and fresh forces compelled to withdraw. “In the direction of the lower Seine we penetrated the enemy’s rear defences and secured rich booty. “Our divisions pursued the enemy on both sides of Soissons and crossed the Aisne. “German planes bombed aerodromes north, east and south from Paris and railways north-west from Paris. The enemy lost 71 planes on Friday and 58 on Saturday. Nine German planes are missing.” CRITICAL DAY ALL AVAILABLE ENEMY FORCES. FLUNG INTO BATTLE. (Received This Day, 10.5 a.m.) PARIS, June 9. A military spokesman stated that all Germany’s available forces on the Western Front have been flung into a fresh attack, which was launched at dawn from the sea to Argonrie. It is estimated that Germany now has between 1,800,000 and 2,000,000 men engaged, apart from the armoured divisions. It is expected that the battle will develop most violently and that today will be the critical day. The Germans, using between 90 and 100 divisions, have thrown everything they possess into the battle. The French, who yesterday withdrew under orders, abandoning small stretches of ground, have resumed the struggle with the same determination. CARE OF PLANES SPLENDID WORK OF BRITISH GROUND STAFF. MACHINES SENT OUT IN PERFECT TRIM. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, June 8. The war cry of the R.A.F. ground staff is: “Keep the fans turning,” and to such effect do they put their own injunction into practice that in the critical days on the Dunkirk beaches British fighter pilots flew more than 2,000,000 miles to and fro across the Channel. Servicing the flights, the staff worked in shifts, day and night, refuelling, rearming and doing repairs to great numbers of aircraft.

Ground staffs at any one station did not know how many aircraft they might be called on to serve in any day. Sometimes one station only receives two squadrons, but the next day 100 or more aeroplanes might arrive, their pilots anxious to be off again. As soon aS the squadron had landed from an engagement across the Channel and the. pilots had tumbled out.of the cockpits to make their reports the ground staff took over and refilled, rearmed and checked the aircraft against possible strain or damage. Wireless maintenance men checked up the sets, armourers went over the guns and put in fresh ammunition which other members of the ground staff had been working day and night to make up into belts which feed the eight machineguns in each Hurricane and Spitfire. The spirit of all ranks was the same. Each had only one thought—to “Keep the fans turning”—to send out their pilots ‘with the aircraft in perfect trim.

It is this, among other things, that contributed to the feeling of superiority which shows in the combat reports of all R.A.F. fighter pilots. They are always ready for a fail - fight, that is. as one commanding officer said: “One British aircraft against three or four of the enemy.” This confidence comes when the pilot knows that he has not only a superior aircraft, but when he takes off it is in perfect trim. BRITISH TANKS IN ACTION ON SOMME FRONT. MUCH ASSISTANCE GIVEN TO INFANTRY. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, June 7. British tanks were flung into the battle today to meet the German advance south of the Somme. The Germans augmented their infantry attack with motorised machine-gun units, and the British, fighting magnificently against heavy odds, were obliged to withdraw their front slightly. The British tanjis have given much assistance to infantry in today’s fighting. According to one report several tanks captured a detachment of German infantry. The sight of tanks rearing across the fields and appearing from the edge of a green wood heartened the men .who cheered when they saw them open fire against the enemy with quick-firing guns. BRITISH CASUALTIES EIGHTH WAR OFFICE LIST. (Received This Day, 8.55 a.m.) LONDON, June 9. The War Office eighth casualty list, of 220 names, includes one officer killed, one wounded, three missing and one prisoner. Other ranks: Five killed, two died, fourteen wounded and 154 missing. One of the missing is believed to have been killed. Seven previously reported missing are now not missing, eighteen are prisoners and thirteen reported missing are now reported to be prisoners.