THE WAR STEP BY STEP

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 76, 18 October 1939, Page 6

THE WAR STEP BY STEP

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14.

Mr Chamberlain refers bitterly to Hi tier's broken promises and the unsatisfactory nature of his professions of peace. The Allies A\ r ill not lay down their anns until given absolute guarantees from Germany that the Avrongs of Poland and Czechoslovakia arc *to be redressed.

German press and official sources combine in tirade of abuse ol Allies \vho are stated to have shouldered the responsibility for the Avar. Germany says the real Avar in the AA'cst avill now begin. Evacuation of Rhineland towns ordered.

Western Front fighting emerging from advancc guard stage into front line lighting. Heavy German raids repulsed. Soviet-Finnish talks continue. No eoncrete demands stated. British navy searching for the pocket battleship Admiral von Scheer, believed to be at large in the South Atlantic. A number of captured 't en nan ships taken to the Falkland Islands. Most of the ships escaped from South American ports laden with grain. National boards set up in New Zealand to control the raising and expenditure of funds for patriotic purposes.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 16. Nazi attempt at peace move throughout U.S.A. gets no American support. Comment is that Germany is attempting to make American party to a greater Munich settlement. British ship Heron spool sunk off Irish coast by submarines. French tanker set on fire. German planes attempt to raid Tyneside. One known to have been shot down. Recent German air action against North Sea squadron cost Nazis six planes. No ships were hit. British battleship Royal Oak torpedoed in North Sea. First list of survivors numbered 403 out of complement of 1200. Reports of air raid on Bei'iin. British deny participation. Nazis and Soviet reported to be

losing patience with each other. Little prospect of much economic help to Germany. First Canadian division of 10.000 men to go to England within two months. British stand reported to be worrying Hitler. Fuehrer is reported to lie taking up headquarters near Siegfried Line, on which bad weather has hindered activity. British troops now in position in Maginot forts. American review of German position discloses weakness. German}' blundered in attacking weaker opponent first, giving Allies time to mobilise; her manpower, is weaker than in the last war; the front on which she can attack is restricted: French and British showing superiority in the air; Germany's transportation system reported to be in very bad condition. Finnish authorities hope for peaceful agreement with Russia in few days! Turkey and Soviet reported to have signed an agreement.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17. Fuil total of survivors l'rom the Royal Oak given as 414: chance of additional survivors remote. announces no losses of convoyed ships since system was introduced, 1275 British and -1/ Allied vessels having been taken to destinations since September 10. Three French vessels sunk by U-boats with 1(J deaths ships and boats being shell ed. Three submarines sunk. Germans "working fe\ erish!y on Western Front v.' ho re an ollensivo seems imminent. British strengthening front line trenches. Russians moving in to the three Baltic states. Finnish delegation returns from Moscow. OpLimism is expressed. Mystery of "air raid" on Berlin now cleared up. Plane heard was a lost German machine which was eventually shot down, the pilot para chuling to ground. Appointment of British Ministers to new positions draws hostile comment from some sections, Sir John Simon's appointment as chairman for economic co-ordination being described as fantastic.