FRENCH FIGHTERS TACKLE HEAVY ODDS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 263, 7 November 1939, Page 7

FRENCH FIGHTERS TACKLE HEAVY ODDS.

AERIAL EXPLOIT.

Nine 'Planes Engage 27

Nazi Machines.

ONE-THIRD DOWNED. British Official Wireless. (Received I'J.IMi p.m.) RUGBY, November fi. To-night's French official communique states: "There has been great activity by the air forces on both sides. "During a violent fight nine French fighters lit tucked a group of 27 German tiglitcrs. Nine of the German machines were brought down, of which pcvcii tell vv it hiu our territory. F.verv one ot our 'planes engaged' in this encounter returned safely." The Air Mini-try announced that Hriti.-h aircraft successfully reconnoitred West Germany and secured valuable photographs. One "plane lias not returned. The French official morning coniuiu 11 i<| u e records local artillery activity at several points on the trout. The. coinmuni<|ue last night was the shortest of the war. It was merely two word-": "Quiet day." The whole front i- quiet. cv en at the points in the Moselle sector where the Germans have tried rcpeatelly to dislodge the trench outposts.

The French to-clay maintained a fir in

Ip on Forbach and Sarreguemines, live iles in advance of the Maginot Line,

against whieli German howitzers have fired 300 shells in tile past four days.

Children in the Alsatian towns of Miilhouse and Colmar, which are. within range of the German guns, have returned to school owing to the enemy's inactivity in this sector. Both towns are humming with military activity.

The official l'aris radio states tha criuans on reconnaissance in the \ osgo ■ctor captured a French outpost. Late hey were beaten off with hand-grenade:

French mortars also prevented a Ge nan attempt to capture a small islat ii the Bliine.

German '|- llllK ' s rr,MV oV4 ' r t,l(> A " I,M lies once, hut the French penetrated ierman territory more deeply.