LITTLE GARRISON STILL HOLDS OUT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 209, 5 September 1939, Page 7

LITTLE GARRISON STILL HOLDS OUT.

AT WESTERPLATTE.

Fierce Battle For Danzig

Post Office.

NAZIS FIRE ROOF

United Press Association. —Copyrigtft. (Received 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, September 4. After three days' incessant bombardment the little Polish garrison still holds Westerplatte, says a message from Danzig. It is estimated that 30 German 'planes dropped over 50 bombs.

A fierce battle is reported in the heart of Danzig for the post office building, which 70 Poles stubbornly defended for two days until the Nazis poured petrol on the roof of the building, setting fire to it. Twenty Poles were killed and the rest taken prisoner.

French military advices state that the Polish military situation appears to have improved. The Poles have apparently disrupted the Cernian offensive from East Prussia and have reorganised their forces in the Corridor.

Reinforcements are reported to be attempting to close the break the (ierliuins made in the Czestochowa sector.

A Polish communique admits German advances in south-east Silesia, but claims Polish successes in the Gdynin and Danzig sectors, where Orlow and Kack have been recaptured. There is heavy fighting in Kast Prussia, but the positions are unchanged. Lowlands Flooded. The German official -news agency save the Poles have pierced the Vistula River dykes in thy Tczew region, near Danzig, flooding the neighbouring lowlands, and have also destroyed the Vistula bridges at Tczew and Liessau.

The Germans are reported to have landed a number of troops by parachute from aircraft behind the Polish lines, in order to cut telephone wires and blow up bridges.

The radio at Warsaw yesterday announced that Poland had recaptured the frontier station of Zbazyn. Poland has called more men to the colours and the Czech Legion, comprised of refugees, has advanced to the front.

Officials at Warsaw stated again last night that Polish troops had crossed the northern frontier as previously claimed, into East Prussia, after driving the Germans from several Polish towns.

The Poles claim to have penetrated nine miles into German territory. They broke through the frontier fortifications as far as the railway terminus at Deutsch Eylau. They also stemmed an 'attempt to thrust barrier across the upper part of the Corridor and drove the Germans back across the border.

A report from the southern front states that the Poles are executing a strategic retveat and concentrating behind the hills on the Cracow-Katowice line, where the first big battle is expected. No Lightning War. Five main sectors are distinguishable at present in the German offensive, according to the Warsaw correspondent of the Times. The objective of the attacks on the Pomeranian front is Torun. Other attacks are being launched from a few miles east of Grudziadz (Graudenz) and slightly north of C'hodziez. Two drives are being made from Zbazyn (reported to have been recaptured" by the Poles), and Leszno, while an offensive from Kepno. east from Brezlau. threaten* Lodz. Aeroplanes from Slovakia bombed Lemberg and T>eopol in Oalacia. Apparently both sides are feeling their way, neither rushing to a speedy decision. There is no sign yet of the vaunted Blitzkrieg (lightning war) with the supposed intention to push forward regardless of cost.