TOUGH TROOPS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 134, 7 June 1940, Page 7

TOUGH TROOPS

BRITISH REGIMENT

FIERCE RESISTANCE

THE SOMME FRONT

(British Official Wireless.)

(Received June 7, 12.40 p.m.)

RUGBY, June 6

According to an eye-witness report from somewhere in France, a Highland regiment of a famous division today has been fiercely resisting the Germans attacking along the Somme front, These troops are part of the British forces holding a section of the line near Abbeville.

The Germans, launching a strong push in darkness last night from the Somme, where they already had several bridgeheads, isolated several of the positions. The British troops, although surrounded, fought on tenaciously, living up magnificently to the division's reputation for toughness and courage. The eye-witness states that the German penetrations made it necessary to withdraw the British line at certain places to positions several miles south of the Somme. but that every inch of the ground was combated.

The British troops are in /excellent spirits despite the heavy artillery and machine-gun fire and low bombing attacks. Probably the German attack in this section of;the front would have been even fiercer save for a terrific artillery bombardment of several bridges which was carried out yesterday in which more than 30,000 shells were fired. Up to the moment it is not clear whether or not this attack on the lower Somme is merely a sideshow to distract attention from the much heavier assault further east which the French armies are so gallantly resisting.

The report from the eye-witness gives the assurance that whatever should develop every preparation has been made to meet the situation.