ACTIVITY ON THE SOMME

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23036, 3 June 1940, Page 7

ACTIVITY ON THE SOMME

Failure of German Attacks BELGIAN CORPS JOIN ALLIES (tIttXTZD tBESS ASSOCIATION—COPYIUGIIT.) (Received June 2, 8 p.m.) LONDON, June 1. A British military spokesman said that the Germans were increasing their activity on the Somme at a point where, the French had established a bridgehead on the north bank. On a small front yesterday they attacked twice, the first ( tlme with infantry and the second time with the support of tanks and dive bombers. Both attacks were repulsed. The French official evening communique states: “In the north our troops are successfully resisting renewed efforts by the enemy and have continued to cover/the embarkation. “There is continued activity on both sides of the Somme fr,ont. There is nothing of importance tb_ report from the rest of the front." . ' The--French official morning communique stated: “On land and sea and in the air, the French and British forces at Dunkirk are continuing in complete solidarity their stuttporn fight to resist the German drive and to assure the evacuation. In the Somme region the enemy counter-attacked, but this was repulsed.” A Belgian ' communique issued at Limoges says that two Belgian corps which refused to surrender after King Leopold’s defection have continued fighting and have succeeded in joining the British forces. The Paris correspondent of the British United Press says it is officially stated that the French, in a 48-hour operation, recaptured the Abbeville region wholly,' and are mopping up the Germans. The Germans' heavy losses include several entire motorised Columns. Two hundred prisoners Were taken. Later reports indicate that the recapture of the Abbeville region refers to the immediate neighbourhood south of the Sofflftie. No official report has reached Paris that the town of Abbeville has been recaptured. A German communique says: “We broke the resistance of the remaining sections of the French Army in northeastern France and took 26,000 prisoners in the Lille region alone. “We are attacking the remainder of both sides at Dunkirk. The British are stubbornly resisting in difficult terrain, but we are progressing well. “On the southern front, enemy tank attacks near Abbeville failed. “In Spite of unfavourable weather, oUr air force attacked troops embarking at Dunkirk, sank five . transports, badly damaged three Cruisers or destroyers and 10 merchantmen. Our high-speed torpedo-boats sank a destroyer and a submarine. “A U-boat torpedoed aii enemy WarShip off dstend. The. enemy lost 49 aeroplanes yesterday, 39 of which were shot down in combat. Nine of our aeroplanes are missing. , “Our N&rvik detachments maintained their positions against strong attacks Our troops advancing from Trondheim broke the enemy’s resistance north of Fauske.” GENERAL . GAMBLING 'i ’STATUS' LONDON. May 31. It is ; officially , stated in Paris that General Gamelin, the former Allied Commander-in-Chief. is in Paris. He has complete liberty, but has no military command.