PATRIOTS AID ALLIES

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24335, 14 August 1944, Page 5

PATRIOTS AID ALLIES

Clashes With Enemy In France ITALIAN FORCES CO-OPERATE ( BO W) RUGBY. Aug. 12. Authoritative French circles in London have announced that fignting occurred recently between French Forces of the Interior and Germans near Colmar, in Alsace. The Germans lost 100 men, whereas th e Frenc “ losses were only one msn Killed find one wounded.

In Savoy a German garrison occupying the Tarentaise country in the Upper Isere valley fled towards Italy, after hard pressure by the French. Opposed by Italian and French Maquis forces the Germane are now beginning to surrender. This is the first time authoritative French sources have mentioned the intervention of Italian forces. In Brittany, French Forces of the Interior liberated the small town of Milizac, seven miles north-west of Brest, as well as Paimpol, on the north coast—where several hundred prisoners were taken—and other places on the north-west tip of the peninsula. A full-fecale war—unknown even to the Americans in Normandy—has been raging bitter and bloody in the fields of Brittany since D Day, reports Reuter’s correspondent in a dispatch from Vannes. “French paratroops and hordes of patriots, whom the paratroops organised and equipped, haye been waging a silent battle against a far greater number of German troops. "F’ive hundred paratroops and patriots fought a pitched battle against 3000 attacking Germans, of whom they killed 510 and wounded 600. The battle lasted from 4 a.m. to midnight. Guerrillas fighting from hedges and woods cut the German columns to ribbons before they dispersed into the darkness.”

Authoritative French sources in London report that French Forces of the Interior have set on fire 1,500,000 litres of petrol in northern France. General Koenig, commander of the French Forces of the Interior, broadcasting over the 8.8.C. French service, ordered all units of his forces in 18 regions to launch reinforced guerrilla action and to attack immediately all enemy elements proceeding to the battlefronts.

RUSSIAN PRISONERS IN FRANCE

LONDON, August Tl?

“The future of 2000 Soviet citizens who were captured while fighting or working for the German army in France is worrying the British Government,” says the “Daily Express.” “Some of the Russians were In the Todt labour force and others were in German combatant battalions. All say that they had been forced by threats to join in active service against the Allies.” The “Daily Express” says: “Marshal Stalin is believed to be indisposed to be unduly gentle with men whom he regards as traitors—even though they were unwilling. Some of the prisoners mat be treated as war criminals and brought to trial. Others may be forgiven And readmitted as Soviet citizens."