A BITTER BATTLE

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20908, 13 September 1939, Page 8

A BITTER BATTLE

CLAIMS BY NAZIS FATE OF POLISH DIVISIONS TRAPPED OR WIPED OUT (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Sept. 13, 3.15 p.m.) BERLIN, Sept. 12 The Nazis estimate that about 20 of the 50 Polish divisions have been “trapped or wiped out.” They claim that eighteen divisions which have been caught west of the Vistula during the last three days will be unable to cross the river. NEW YORK, Sept. 12 The Paris correspondent of the North American Newspaper Alliance states that Pertinax points out that only 15 out of a total of 50 Polish divisions have been engaged against 50 German divisions. The special representative of the American Press with the German Army says the German counter-attack against the first organised Polish resistance of the war was resumed at dawn north of the Lodz region. It is the third day of a bitter battle, in which it is estimated that from 2000 to 5000 Poles have been killed or wounded in the first 24 hours. The Germans are attempting to force the surrender of 50.000 Poles. The battle, in the opinion of Germans, will decide the driving of them from Poznan and the Corridor. Caught in a pocket, the retreating Poles are attempting to break through in the direction of Warsaw, in one of the most desperate attempts the Polish Army has ever made. The Germans replied with a heavy artillery bombardment and unleashed a murderous air attack. Germans Occupy Town The German High Command claims that its troops have reached Chyrow, fifteen miles south of Presemysl. The air force, aided by the army, harrassed the enemy’s rear lines of communication east of the Vistula. Diving fighters blocked the eastern outlets from Warsaw and destroyed the station at Bialystok. •Naval forces have occupied Grossendorf, a fortress. MOSCOW, Sept. 12 It is announced that numerous Polish refugees have crossed the Soviet border. MANY TOWNS BURNED DESTRUCTION BY INVADERS 7000 POLISH CASUALTIES (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Sept. 13, 3.15 p.m.) STOCKHOLM, Sept. 12 The correspondent of the Svenska Dagbladet, who toured Silesia, reports that the towns of Wieruczow, Lututow, Sulejow, Falkon, Prozedborz and ißadomak, all on or the Pilica River, were burned down as a reprisal for the activities of the Frane-Tireurs (irregular sharpshooters), after the Polish regular troops had retreated. Smaller villages met the same fate, but Lodz is intact. LONDON, Sept. 12 A Polish communique announces that the German forces are active in the Modlin sector, also along the San River, but are not making progress towards Lwow. A German attack west of Warsaw was launched at dawn, and resulted in 7000 Polish casualties. ARMED CIVILIANS TREATED AS COMBATANTS^ CHARGES AGAINST DEFENDER (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Sept. 13, 3.15 p.m.) BERLIN, Sept. 12 Wireless messages attack the defender of Warsaw, General •Czuma, for allegedly releasing and arming prisoners from gaols and arming civilians, which is a “criminal act.” It adds that Germans will treat armed civilians as insurgent combatants. NEUTRAL STATES STRONG AND INDEPENDENT ATTEMPT TO FORM BLOG BETTER SERVICE TO BRITAIN (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Sept. 11 Allied diplomacy is said to be fighting to keep the neutral States in South-east Europe strong and independent. A diplomatic battle which has been going on since the outbreak of the war aims at the creation of a bloc of neutral States from the Carpathians to the Eastern Mediterranean and from the Black Sea to the Adriatic. The Turkish Ambassador to London, Fethi Okyar Bey, is one of the chief strategists. The British acknowledge that one of the keys to peace in the Balkans is the strength of Turkish diplomacy, and there is confidence that Turkey will act skilfully. It may serve Britain better at present to keep the Balkans neutral than to allow them to become involved, as that would require a heavy outlay of British money and man-power in their support. The Stockholm correspondent of the New York Herald Tribune says that the Scandinavians are apprehensive of their ability to preserve neutrality. Swedish sympathy is almost entirely with the Allies, and the people of that country fear that they may become involved in the war, not from choice, but from compulsion,