THE BATTLE FOR WARSAW

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20907, 12 September 1939, Page 8

THE BATTLE FOR WARSAW

REACHING A DECISIVE POINT EARLY CAPTURE OF POSEN EXPECTED RUSSIA THINKS POLAND AS GOOD AS LOST (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Sept. 12, 11 a.m.) BERLIN, Sept. 11 A communique states that the first great battle of the war is reaching a decisive” point in the Warsaw and Radom sectors of a 250-mile semi-circular front. The capture of Posen is expected at any moment. NEW YORK, Sept. 11 The Budapest correspondent of the American Press says the Lwow radio announced that the Poles have forced the Germans to retreat from some of the suburbs of Warsaw. MOSCOW, Sept. 11 Analysing the situation, the Pravda said Poland is as good as lost, since the most important military and economic centres are in the hands of the Germans. The Government is disorganised and the military lack powerful fortifications. Moreover, the allies have not yet supplied effective assistance.

USE OF POISON GAS EFFORT TO SAVE CHILDREN POLISH MOTHERS’ ATTEMPTS MAY NOT BE OF ANY USE (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Sept. 12, 3.15 p.m.) AMSTERDAM, Sept. 11 Warsaw is virtually without gasmasks, but the Polish mothers have taken up needles and thread in an ingenious attempt to save the children from poison gas, according to the British photographer, Mr Eric Calcraft, who has just arrived from Warsaw. The women have sewn elastic bands to large pieces of cotton or gauze, which they hung round the children's necks. The children have been told to puli these up over their noses and mouths at the first gas alarm. It is doubtful whether the masks are of any use, but they are the best that the mothers can do. They must do something. A FINAL DRIVE PREPARATIONS BY GERMANS CAPTURE NOT EASY (United Press Assn.—Fee. Tel. Cocyngnt) LONDON, Sept. 11 Preparations are now being made for the final German drive against Warsaw. The eastward drive of the northern and southern armies has reached a point which enables their direction to be changed to northward and southward, thus beginning the final encirclement. It is thought the capture of Warsaw will not be easy. Polish troops retreating from the Kutno sector are being pushed toward the capital, and the main force of the Polish Army is expected to put up a determined resistance east of Warsaw. The mopping-up has begun of Polish forces caught around Radom. The capturers of Lodz are presumably continuing northward to meet the spearhead from Plock. Tanks and motorised forces are reported to be heavily engaged with the Poles in the Kutno-Skiermiewice-Sochaczew sector between Lodz and the Vistula. The Polish retreat south of Warsaw is reported to have been cut off. An extensive battle is in progress south-west of Warsaw on a front stretching from Lodz to Warsaw and 100 miles south-east through Radom to Sandomierz. LONG AND NASTY TRIP FLIGHT FROM WARSAW EXPERIENCES OF OFFICIALS PLIGHT OF THE REFUGEES (United Presi Assn. —nee. TeL Copyruni) LONDON, Sept. 11 Describing how the Government, members of foreign Embassies and ■■Avspapermen evacuated Warsaw, the **diy Express correspondent, who is now on the frontier of Poland and Rumania, says:— It was a long and nasty trip from Warsaw, across bridges crammed with small, skinny horses pulling lowwheeled carts piled up with bundles of bedding, clothes and furniture. Among them shiny, smart limousines belonging to tho Government, with staff officers, diplomats and officials inside, made for the country. All along the road one saw preparations for resistance. More troops moved into positions and guns lumbered down the road. In some places, near the front, bridges were prepared for mining. Many Refugees Met Do»vn the Ukraine road one found a great number of refugees, mostly Jews, fleeing from Silesia, from Katowice, Cracow, Lodz and other towns which have fallen to the Gerl)o\vn in the south the Germans are not finding progress so easy, owing to the difficult terrain. So far as Poland is concerned, one can say that the war is really only starting now.

RELENTLESS BOMBING POLISH TOWNS ATTACKED GERMANS ATTEMPT SMASH (United Press Assn.—Elec. TeL ccvy right t (Received Sept. 12, 3.15 p.m.) BUDAPEST, Sept. 11 A Polish communique states that German planes are continuing the relentless bombing of Warsaw, also the defence lines on the Bug river. There is severe fighting on the San river, near Sanok, where the Germans are attempting a smash towards Lwow, in order to cut off the Ukraine, Russian and Polish rail communications. BERLIN, Sept. 11 A communique states that the German naval forces, assisted by the army, are bombarding Gdynia. Their planes bombed the railroads east of Warsaw, Lemberg, Lublin and Chelm. French artillery fired on an evacuated aerodrome at Saarbrucken. Poles Overwhelmed The special representative at Cernauti says tho whole of Poland is praying for had weather, believing that rain and muddy roads will halt the daily march of the German mechanised army. The retreating Polish troops are hopelessly overwhelmed by the air bombardment and superior artillery. Many cities, Including Lwow, are without anti-aircraft guns. Jewish villages have been systematically bombed. The representative passed through Tomaszow half-an-hour after nine bombs had fallen in the market place, killing 200 people. SUCCESS OF GERMANS POLISH TROOPS DRIVEN BACK BATTLE NEARING COMPLETION (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyrly&t) (Received Sept. 12, 3.15 p.m.) BERLIN, Sept, 11 A German High Command communique says that tho great battle in Poland is nearing Us conclusion. The enemy has been driven across the San River, which the German troops crossed. They have also succeeded in establishing bridgeheads on the south bank of the Narew River near Nowgorod and Wizna. The Polish artillery in the eastern part of Warsaw is directing heavy fire on the German troops ensconced in western parts of the capital. The investment of Gdynia continues. Neustadt and Putzig are now in German hands. Capture of Town The Germans claim the capture of Lomza. PLANES BROUGHT DOWN MANY POLISH MACHINES SUCCESS OF GERMAN AIRMEN (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Sept. 10 It is claimed in a Berlin message that eight Polish aeroplanes were destroyed and seven shot down in an aerial battle at Lublin. The German air, force is harassing the sector between the Narew and Bug Rivers. Attacks by 70 Bombers A despatch from Warsaw says the city was subjected to-day to 14 air raids by 70 bombers, of which 15 were shot down, five crashing in the city. More buildings were set on lire" by incendiary bombs.