REPORTED CLASHES OF BORDER TROOPS

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 201, 26 August 1939, Page 9

REPORTED CLASHES OF BORDER TROOPS

POLES RETALIATE Germans Driven Back By Machine Gun hire GUNS ATTACK 'PLANES (Received 1.30 p.m.) L.ONDON, August 25. An Independent Cable Service message from Eerlin says that the Polish Ambassador has protested against Germans machine-gunning a Polish border post in the Rybnik district. It is officially stated from Warsaw that a German military patrol J penetrated into Polish terrflory for a distance of one kilometre near the village of Penta, a few miles north of Ostrolenka. Encountering a Polish patrol, the Germans used a sub-machine-gun. The Poles returned their fire and the Germans eventually withdrew, leaving their leader, Corporal Kastenhagen, dead on Polish territory. Four new cases have been reported of Polish anti-aircraft batteries firing on German war 'planes which, it is stated, were flying over Polish territory. The Berlin radio announces that Polish anti-aircraft guns fired on a German 'plane flying over Danzig. One of the occupants was the State Secretary, Dr. Stuckart. It is not stated whether the plane was struck. The announcement was followed by the declaration that "this intolerable provocation is against all international law." The Germans report that Poles fatally shot seven Germans and one Czech at Bielitz. It is now certain that the Poles are planning an attack on German territory, declares the official German news agency in a statement. Polish troop concentrations and military preparations, in no way defensive, brought up much cavalry within striking distance of the border. Three Polish assault divisions and an armoured brigade are concentrated on the Prussian frontier and preparations are noticeable in Upper Silesia. It is learned in Paris that all men in Gdynia and all Poles from Gdynia who live in Danzig were called to the colours.