ON WESTERN FRONT

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 September 1939, Page 7

ON WESTERN FRONT

FRENCH ADVANCE REPORTED Progress Towards Saarbrucken / ’ [BY CABLE —PRESS' ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] LONDON, September 6. A communique issued in Paris announced that the French forces were progressing beyond the German frontier. According to Luxemburg reports, the maximum French a - vance towards Saarbrucken was a little .more than seven mi es. is reported that the French used 500 tanks in one operation. Also, in an advance 125 miles further north 300 Allied aeroplanes attacked the German position, and Allied aero P lanes in arge numbers also attacked the great steel munitions region in the Ruhr, near Essen.

A Polish report states that the French are at Saarbrucken. Some credence is given to this report by military experts, as 1 a deep salient in the French territory protrudes into the Reich. This section is regarded as one of the weak points of the German frontier. A broadcast from London earlier in the evening reported heavy firing “east of Luxemburg.” Saarbrucken is less than 50 miles south-east of Luxemburg. It is reported that and other cities such as Erstein have been evacuated.

BIENWALD FOREST REACHED. (Received September 8, 10.45 a.m.) PARIS, September 7. The French reached Bienwald Forest, northward of Leuterbourg. HUMOUR IN PARIS PARIS, September 7. France spent a restful night, without any air alarms. The city is bright and cheerful. The business of war is proceeding briskly; ■ 1 . The people are not losing their sense of humour, despite the grim outlook. Evidence of this is seen in signs posted on numerous closed shops. One which is typical states: '“Gone hunting. Return at the end of the season.” FRIENDSHIP FOR FRANCE? LONDON, September 7. A German broadcast states that Herr Hitler has spared no efforts to reach an agreement with France. Herr von Ribbentrop (Foreign Minister), has emphasised that Germany would take no aggressive action against France. The French should know that the Germans did not wish to revive the old struggle, but a French attack on Germany would spoil the chances of peace for generations. CZECH PREPARATIONS PARIS, September 7. The Czech Legation has notified that Czechs throughout France are remaining faithful .to the Fatherland. They are to report for service on September 14. The Czech Minister (M. Osusky) said: We are preparing the mobilisation of a national army;

PUBLIC IMPATIENCE. LACK OF WAR NEWS. (Received September 8, 10.45 a.m.) RUGBY, September 7. The impatience of the public for news of developments on the war fronts is the subject of comment by several newspapers. “The Times” points out that the conditions are wholly- different from those prevailing in 1914, when the troops manoeuvring in the country clashed and fought in the first few hours. “To-day, great armies are moving into previously-prepared lines extending to'a considerable depth, and such process involves no clashes, even between small forces. Naval operations are also proceeding with intensity, but with proper secrecy. The sweeping of German shipping from the seas has begun. Submarines are: being attacked, though it would clearly be undesirable to say when,] where, or with what result, because] such information might be useful to I the submarines themselves. The con--voy system of shipping has been put into operation. There need be nc surprise at the slow pace at which hostilities seem to be developing.”

TROOPS FROM BRITAIN RAPID ARRIVAL REPORTED NEW YORK, Sept. 6. The Paris correspondent of the “New York Times” reports that British troops are landing rapidly in France, according to an official spokesman'. No figures were given. From Paris it is stated that although details of the landing, place, and numbers of British troops are not given, Government sources declared that the British Army would be. able to give “infinitely stronger” support to "the French forces than was given in 1914. It is disclosed that General Ironside (Chief of the Imperial. General Staff) and Sir Cyril Newall (Chief of the Air Staff), have been in France since September 4, conferring with General Gamelin and General Vuillemin. Accelerated . British and French operations can be expected at any moment.

OPERATIONS DEVELOPING. (Received September 8, noon). NEW YORK, September 7. A message from Paris states that artillery duels and localised operations are developing rapidly on the FrancoGerman front, mainly in the 12-mile-wide zone betweep the permanent fortifications. _ There is most intense activity in the Carlsbrunn forest, between Saarlautern and Saarbrucken. The French are reported to have captured several ranges of pill-boxes, and their artillery is hammering at the Saarbrucken-Saarlautern road and railway. SIEGFRIED LINE HAMMERED (Recd. September 8, 1 p.m.) NEW YORK, September 7. The Associated Press of America Basle correspondent says that the French heavy artillery hammered the main force of Germany’s Siegfried Line, from Lauterbourg to the Saar frontier. Hundreds of thousands of French troops have moved into position, under the protection of the Maginot Line. INDUSTRIAL AREAS BOMBED. ROME, September 7. Newspapers carry reports from Brussels stating that French planes bombetl industrial areas in Germany, near the Belgian frontier. . GERMANS REINFORCED. PARIS, September 7. A communique states that the German front between the Rhine and the Moselle is being reinforced. The Associated Press of America Paris correspondent says a communique states that German reinforcements have been rushed to the northern flank of the Western Front, where increasing French attack carried the fighting to the fringes of the Saar basin. ,

GERMAN PRESS CENSORSHIP LONDON, September 7. Reuter’s Brussels correspondent says that the German public is still ignorant of the operations on the Western Front. The German newspapers are filled with jubilant articles about the progress of troops in Poland. Britain’s activity thus fai’ is represented as, a number of isolated actions, all of which, according to the German version, apparently violate international law. The'French operations are not mentioned. The Press is noticeably friendly to France.