GERMAN TANKS DESTROYED

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23043, 11 June 1940, Page 7

GERMAN TANKS DESTROYED

HEAVY FORCES USED \ IN ATTACK * ADVANCE CHECKED AT SOME POINTS (Received June 10, 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, June 9. . A French military spokesman to-day declared that the situation was critical, but not desperate. The loss of territory was not important If the enemy could be worn down. The battle was along a front of 185 miles from the sea to the Argonne, No report had been received of a serious break through, but there are bulges In some places. Most of the two to three hundred tanks which penetrated the Bresle sector on Friday had been destroyed. “The position of the battle this morning is that the German attack is more violent than any hitherto started," he said. “In the region south of Amiens in a southerly direction the battle end y?®T e:rda y had progressed as far as the region of Breteuil on the.River Noye, about 20 miles from Beauvais. Two attacks were launched farther eastward to the south of Peronne in the dlrection -of Noyon and Montdidier. The gains acquired following these two attacks were light and did not exceed some kilometres. ‘‘lt is that the Germans flung about 40 divisions into this sector between the River Bresle and Noyon. At the start of the offensive on the line of the Somme the Germans had first thrown about 27 divisions into the front line, where their lo‘sses were so heavy during the first days of the battle that yesterday they were forced to withdraw a certain number of these troops and throw a second formation of 20 divisions into the line. The surviving divisions of the first line, together with fresh divisions of the second line, form a mass of 40 divisions in the region between Aumale and Noyon. "East of the Oise, 10 German divisions, accompanied by armoured units, crossed the Aisne yesterday and advanced across the plateau south of the river, German infantry advanced from 10 to 15 kilometres in this region. In the morning, the Germans recommenced th.e‘ offensive at all th.ese points with the same violence. “An armoured column which reached Forges-les-Eaux suffered considerably from violent attacks by French aeroplanes, which attacked the tanks with cannon. Some groups of this column progressed with difficulty south-west-wards to the lower Seine. The Germans used 3500 tanks and other armoured units as spearhead shock forces to breach the French lines. It was the greatest, use of mechanised units since the start of the blitzkreig. “It was the same this morning between the Oise at Noyon and the Aisne at Soissons, where another enemy army had also been severely tried. It was not until early afternoon that the enemy resumed the offensive, after throwing' in new divisions supported by fresh armoured troops, southward of the Aisne near Soissons. At the end of the afternoon, the enemy was also attacking the region of Pont Avert, “In Champagne, we completely stemmed the attack which the enemy launched at dawn on the whole front from Chateau Porcien to the Afgohne. The enemy were only able to cross the Aisne at two points, where we counterattacked. “Northward, at Vouziers, a group of parachutists dropped behind our lines. They have now surrendered. In spite of numerical inferiority, our troops continue to fight boldly and heroically. “Continuing their co-operation in the battle, our fighters and bombers opposed thrusts of armoured formations, ih spite of the most violent reaction by enemy fighters and anti-aircraft guns, reconnaissances carried out in the morning show that several enemy columns were severely tried and left behind large quantities of material.” The spokesman said that in the last fivie days, it was estimated that the Germans had lost 1000 tanks and upwards of 400.000 men. The attack on the Aisne 25 miles east of Soissons was described as the heaviest of the entire battle. The Germans were repulsed.