STRUGGLE IN POLAND

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 56, 4 September 1939, Page 10

STRUGGLE IN POLAND

ALL FRONTS ENGAGED

.REPORTED ADVANCE ON WARSAW

MANY CIVILIANS KILLED

(By Telegraph—Press Assoclatioa —Copyright.)

(Received September 4, 10 a.m.)

LONDON, September 3

A Polish official telegram to London says that the Germans bombed Warsaw six times today. The Polish Embassy in London states that Germany stands as a wanton aggressor and reiterates that the Germans are bombing* unfortified towns and that many civilians are victims. It adds that the Germans also bombed cities at 5.20 a.m. today, including- Puck, Radom, Modlin, Pultusk, Mobrvn, Warsaw, and Cracow. Their raids are extending to cities in central Poland. The Warsaw correspondent of the British United Press says that a Polish broadcast announces that Poles brought down 37 German planes and destroyed many German tanks. The Polish Air Force lost twelve planes. Brief reports reaching1 London today confirm the continuance of air attacks all day and night on Warsaw and other Polish towns. • It is reported in Warsaw that eye-witnesses state that 21 persons were killed and 30 wounded when a German bomb struck the workers' quarter. The bombs already dropped on Warsaw total 120. Thirty have been killed and 58 wounded at Lublin. Those killed include five children.. The Berlin correspondent of the "New York Times" says that the Germans are reported to be 50 miles from Warsaw. A major battle is developing* along the Narew Kiver. The Warsaw correspondent of the Associated Press of America describes the inspecting of ruins of a bombed apartment-house in the workers' quarter. Twenty-one dead and 30 injured have so far been recovered from the debris. The Polish Trans-Continental News Agency announces that German aviators dropped the first gas bombs on the town of lowonsz. '' Most of the passengers on a Polish evacuation train, which was bombed 60 miles from Warsaw, were killed or wounded. Planes bombed and then machine-gunned the wreckage of the packed train. The Berlin correspondent of the United Press states that the army claimed to have captured Radomske, the site of an important Polish airport, 60 miles south of Warsaw. The loss of 21 planes is admitted, but it is claimed that 120 Polish planes were destroyed. GERMANS CLAIM>' SWIFT ADVANCE. '' The Berlin correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain says it is officially stated that the town of Czestochowa has been captured. i The announcement added that troops "are swiftly advancing; on all Polish fronts." A German High Command communique reports further rapid successes on1 all fronts near the industrial region in Upper Silesia. German troops captured Pleas. They are approaching* Biala. nearing the River Warthe, and advancing to Radolsk. They captured Wielun and ai»e pushing towards Sieradz. , ■' . > • Detachments crossed the River Brahe and are approaching Victual, south of Graudenz, nearly, forming a. junction with troops from East Prussia. , \ The German air force, it is stated, dominates the Polish air force and "can now (protect Germany." A Polish announced that food supplies of all sorts were sufficient, and it. claimed that the Polish defenders have repulsed the German attackers from East Prussia and Silesia. Many German tanks were put out of action and sixteen planes were brought down. The Polish lines are intact. The Exchange Telegraph agency's Zurich correspondent says that poison gas and incendiary bombs killed and injured hundreds of persons in the Posen district. Information from the High Command in Berlin indicated that Germany was trying to-gain possession of the Corridor and then might advise Britain and France that she was willing to suspend operations. As war had not been declared against Poland it was denied that a conditipn of war existed. There was no intention to effect a complete change in Poland but merely to rectify the eastern frontier. Herr Hitler's* reply to Britain was expected some time today. The Associated Press of Great Britain reports that, apparently in an attempt to destroy bridges on the River Vistula, German bombers made a raid at 4.30 p.m. Anti-aircraft units fired a fusillade and several bombers appeared to drop into the river. The first German official war communique says that military actions in Silesia, Pomerani, and East Prussia brought unexpected preliminary successes. Troops reached the line fron/Neumarkt to Sucbaneumarkt, and gained the heights of Katowice, approaching from the River Brahe and reached the River Netze. Fighting is going on in the neighbourhood of Graudenz. BOMBING OF AERODROMES. _\ .;'•'.'.■■' A second communique says: "Our forces from East Prussia are fighting and advancing on the Polish soil. Our air force bombed several aerodromes, including those at Graudenz, Plock, Lodz, Tomaszow, Katowice, Cracow, Lemberg, Brest-Litovsk, and Terespol. Our air force has thus gained the upper hand." The communique claims that troops have occupied Teschen. A later High Command communique says there was a continued advance this morning at all points. The troops also quickly forced the Jablunka Pass with the help* of aircraft and annihilated numerous planes. More Polish aerodromes were attacked and destroyed. The Government spokesman in Berlin denied that the air force had bombed open Polish cities, and said it had bombed military objectives near them. The Germans contend that there has been no war, but merely a counter-blow in retaliation for the Polish attack of Gleiwitz. News filtering in from Zurich and Copenhagen indicates that the Germans are preparing the evacuation of Karlsruhe and Saarbrucken. Three towns, Gleiwitz, Ratibot, and Beuthen, in Upper Silesia, were heavily bombarded by artillery. The Polish. Ambassador called at the German Foreign Office and announced that Poland intended to resist aggression with all her forces and to defend her honour and independence. The Embassy staff is leaving imroediately. The Polish Government has handed the German Charges d'Affaires their passports and they have been requested by President Moscieki to leave. Air fights over Warsaw were so thrilling that people watched in the streets till wardens ordered them indoors. The Berlin correspondent of the United Press of America says that the Polish Ambassador and the majority of his staff took of!' today in an'aeroplane for Warsaw, via Sweden. It is understood that the staff of the German Embassy in Warsaw is en route for home. An official Polish communique charges the Germans with violation of Herr Hitler's pledge to spare civilians. The Zurich correspondent of the Exchange Telegraph Company

expresses the view that tactics so far indicate that Germany is aiming at a lightning blow against Polantl wiflt the object of totally demoralising her and rendering it impossible for her to retaliate or receive help from Britain or France. POLISH TROOPS IN EAST PRUSSIA. The Warsaw correspondent of the United "Press of America says it is_ semi-oflicially announced that Polish troops entered East Prussia in the vicinity of Deutsch Eylan and arc apparently endeavouring to get behind the German army which is attempting to cut off the Carridor from the rest of Poland. These German forces are attempting to make contact with the German army advancing from the other side. The Paris correspondent of the same agency says that a Warsaw radio report states that part of Poland's Holy City of Czestochowa is in flames after aerial bombardment, and the sixteenth century cloisters are burning. It is stated authoritatively that the Germans have taken Czestochowa. The Warsaw correspondent of the Havas agency reports that there was fighting all night and morning and the Poles claim they have brought down 33 planes, including 20 bombers, and also put 16 tanks out of action and taken 500 prisoners. The Warsaw representative of the United Press of America says it is officially announced that over 1500 persons were killed i in air raids on Polish cities. , The latest report in Warsaw states that so far there have been 94 German air raids, including one on a hospital at Wielun. A Polish Embassy statement in London says it is officially reported that the German attack was treacherously launched a few hours after the Polish Ambassador in Berlin had informed the Reich that Poland was sympathetic to the peace efforts of Britain. Simultaneous action included tank attacks on three fronts.' The aggression at all points has met with resolute defence, notably by the garrison at Westerplatte. The Copenhagen correspondent of the Associated Press qf America states that the German radio announced that the German forces, which entered the Polish Corridor from the east and west, have effected a junction, thus bottling the Polish forces in the northern portion of the Corridor. A Polish Government communique states that Germany, after contacting Poland .through the Netherlands Government, proposed not to bomb'open towns, to which Poland agreed. However, the Germans bombed at least 24 towns on Saturday, including Czestochowa, the textile centre of Lodz, and the bath resort of Busco, killing and wounding at least 1500. News ofyfresh casualties is arriving hourly. Incendiary bombs destroyed the Velunje Hospital. The Government cites an incident in which a plane bombed and machine-gunned a group of peasants and a tractor in a field. POLES FIGHTING BACK. There is heavy lighting between Germans and Poles in the Carpathians, and it is most bitter in the mountainous parts at Jurgov and Zakopane, states a Zurich message. The Germans crossed the Carpathian ridge, beating back the Polish defences, but the Poles counter-attacked and regained part of the ground lost. Detachments of Poles are engaged in guerrilla warfare at the rear of the German line. The British United Tress earlier reported that, according to wireless reports from Warsaw, the German army is unable to develop the offensive. The German troops are in no position to follow up the surprise offensive and have suffered heavy casualties. The Warsaw correspondent ot the Associated Press of America reports that the Poles are spiritedly fighting back on three fronts. The German news agency reports that a bridge at Ratibor was blown up. The Germans constructed an emergency bridge, thereby entering near the Ratibor. It further claims that the cruiser Schleswig bombarded and captured the Westerplatte munitions depot. A Polish General Staff communique claims the capture of two German .armoured trains. The Poles are still defending Westerplatte and guarding the Hel Peninsula. A Zurich message states that the heavy offensive on the Silesian front is most severe at Katowice. The Third German Army is striking from East Prussia, and the Fourth Army, based at Schneidenmuehle, on the opposite side of the Corridor, has the objective " of Nakel on the railway line to Thord. There is heavy fighting at the Riv;er Netze. A German Army communique states that Polish troops have been shelling the German town of Schomberg since yesterday, with great material damage. PRESSURE INCREASING. German pressure is increasing in the Corridor and in the province of -Poraorze. There have been considerable casualties on both % sides. Severe fighting is taking place south of Zakopane. The German wireless announces that the forces made extensive advances on all fronts last night and in the early hours today. The Wafts.River was crossed near Wielun, which.is a railway town in the Lodz Province, about ten miles from the frontier. Polish troops isolated in the Corridor unsuccessfully tried to break through. A later German communique announced the capture of Zcestochowa. The troops ax-e swiftly advancing. '-The Polish Embassy in London denied reports that1 the Germans had cut lh,e Corridor. Berlin,, reports that the town of Berend has been captured. A message from Warsaw states that the Foreign-Office charged the German planes with dropping yperite gas on civilian populations and with bombing and machine-gunning women and children who are fleeing from attacked cities.