STOP PRESS NEWS

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20910, 15 September 1939, Page 6

STOP PRESS NEWS

THRILLING AIR RAID THE ATTACK ON KIEL LONDON, Sept. 1B The leader of the Royal Air Force bombers which attacked Kiel Canal continued: — “It was terrific, especialy the firing from the big ships, which seemed to carry seven guns, at either beam. We made our aircraft as difficult targets as we could by manoeuvring, and then straightened out and dropped our bombs. At once we rose into fhe clouds with shells bursting round us and made for home after an effective smack at the enemy. Our flight all returned safely.” The original communique stated: “Our aircraft encountered an air attack and fire, resulting in some casualties.” It can be affirmed on official authority that the total casualties were considerably fewer than the numbers mentioned in the German claims, which can only be described as deliberate exaggeration. A vivid story is told by the officers and crew of another squadron taking part in tho riads on the Kiel area. One of the aircraft was hit several times, both by shells and bullets, but returned home safely, although two petrol tanks were punctured. Two bombers yvere not hit. “We set out in fine weather,” said the leader of this attack. “We were flying at 2000 feet but soon ran into cloud and came down to 300 feet. We were near the German coast when half-a-dozen enemy fighters came out to engage us. A game of hide-and-seek in the clouds followed and our craft were successful in eluding their pursures and left them behind. The conditions grew worse and there was heavy rain for an hour, then the weather improved and my bombers gained height, giving a wide berth to all lands along the German coast. We made a landfall accurately and flew up the Elbe Estuary until we Sighted a number of German naval vessels. We were then at 6000 feet under a thin layer of cloud. The •ntmy held his fire until we were almost over our target, then suddenly opened with every gun he could bring to bear.” POLISH FORCES IN A SERIOUS POSITION NEW YORK, Sept. 12 The Paris correspondent of the New York Times says the Polish front continues to monopolise attention here. The situation of General Bmigly-Rydz’s armies admittedly ia serious. There is fierce fighting on all sides of Warsaw, but seemingly there is no longer any front. The radio on both sides is making conflicting claims. From the confusion, nevertheless, some points stand out—Firstly, the claws of the German pincers, are closing tighter after a double enveloping movement seemed to have halted. Secondly, the Vistula has been crossed by the Germans at Annapol, near the confluence with the San river, which also has been crossed at several points. Thirdly, the Germans have crossed the Bug river south of Ostrow. Fourthly, the Germans who crossed tho Carpathians are progressing. The Polish forces appear to be disseminated. In addition to the body fighting In the Warsaw region, between the Bug and Vistula rivers inside the pincers, others apparently are grouped Just beyond the claws in the vicinity of Bialystok, north-east and in the vicinity of Lwow south-east. GERMAN-RUSSIAN PLANS PARTITION OF POLAND LONDON, Sept. 14 The Berlin correspondent of the United Berlin Press says it is reliably reported that Germany and Russia have agreed to leave a buffer Polish State between, instead of establishing a common frontier, when Germany crushes Polish resistance. There is much gossip, but there is nothing definite to indicate what frontier Germany will demand.