TWENTY-MILE FRONT

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 246, 18 October 1939, Page 8

TWENTY-MILE FRONT

( United Press Association.—Copyright.—Received 11 a.m.)

LONDON, October 1 7,

An- official French communique says: "Towards the end of yesterday afternoon the Germans launched a second attack, supported by heavy artillery fire, in the region east of the Saar over a front of about 20 miles. Our light advance troops fell back, fighting in accordance with their mission, but our fire held up the enemy at a prearranged line. The French Command, in anticipation of this offensive by the Germans, a fortnight ago decided to withdraw to other positions the French divisions which had taken the offensive on German territory in order indirectly to assist the Polish armies. The whole of the necessary movements were completed by October 3, and we had only light advanced troops and a few supporting units in contact with the enemy." Although the German High Command states that the French evacuated the greater part of the Geripan territory occupied in tl? nt ° h _ the Siegfried Line, retreating over the frontier, the French War Office declares that the French troops remain on German ■oil almost the whole way from the Moselle to the Rhine. It is admitted the Germans Regained some of the farthest positions occupied by the French in their September advance. The Germans had not resumed their attacks this morning. It is now ®* rn f tha , t °" e German division was engaged in yesterday's the f Mose,le £ 9ec L tor ' and four or five divisions engaged along the sector east of the Saar.

__ j Jv* stated that scores oF Germans wearing steel vests and visors, and carrying machine-guns, were killed.

lf W u C ° m^ Un -^ Ue Btated: " We obtained results SSJ?«Tr! V r ; u" embu / g - I Th,s meant tHe French captured German p * ° btained much information of the

, An ea r he J message, referring to the first German assault on the four-mile front east of the Moselle, said the German casual ties were between 500 and 1000. They also lost over 20 tanks the Fren ® h withdrew from their advanced killing scores ohk« "J o **-

.lon/£ Z \ n *c COlm " un,< l"e issued in Paris reports activity mo?ni»£ 7 u nt ' n ° change in the positions aincethe morning, despite sharp infantry engagements.