WARSAW STRUGGLE

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 September 1939, Page 7

WARSAW STRUGGLE

DESPERATE STAND BY POLES ... ; v . t t •• ■ < ' 1 f ' , , / German Air-Raids Continue [by CABLE —PBESS ASSN. —COPYBIGHT.] l y WARSAW, September 7. The Polish forces are reported to be making a desperate stand west and north of the capital in face of a, withering fire which is thinning the ranks. The Polish General Staff has confirmed the removal of the Government to Lublin, on to which the Germans are reported to be pressing. ’ ’ " ; . ' A Berlin broadcast claims that Poland has lost her entire coal supply and industrial region. The battlefields ate covered with a quantity of abandoned material.

, A Warsaw , communique says that Polish troops are stemming the German advance. on the south-western front. ’ ‘ : German aeroplanes . bombed Warsaw several times bombed troop concentrations. In retaliation Polish aeroplanes bombed the enemy’s armoured columns. ’ The Germans ' admit severe, fighting in the Lodz district, and also west from Tarnow. 'Marshal Smigly-Rydz issued an order of the day to the Polish Air Force: “Airmen, the 'front rank soldiers of Poland.' In spite of the enemy’s great ’ascendancy you are fulfilling your duties heroically. Poland will remember_fpc^eYer.”." , A Berlin message says ’that a German High Command communique says: “‘The army is advancing on Warsaw and Lublin. Forces, also passed within a few miles of Lodz. Those pushing from j>the south and west drove back the enemy from the' Krakow industrial area. Eastern Upper Silesia is in German hands. Further north Piptrkpw, and two adjacent towns were ca£ ; fured?T„ f

AMSTERDAM, Sept. 7.

A report which fetched here says that Gdynia is in ruins, and that the towns on the Hel-Peninsula have been destroyed. ~ .. The same source says that Danzig has been under fire since Monday. A big ammunition dump near the mouth of the Vistula River has been burning for three days. The Agence Radio , quotes a Riga message that Poland has mobilised six more classes, and;', also all her officers and non-commissioned men, regardless of age. NEARING THE CAPITAL (Recd. Sept. 8, 2.30 p.m.). PARIS, September 7. The Germans seem to be steadily progressing in north and central Poland, and Warsaw-is definitely threatened, though its fortifications are stronger than anything yet encountered-. . ... The Gerriian army from East Prussia, having captured Pultuska and Rozan, farther south,, both on the Narew River, is now witbin 20 miles of, the capital, where the western railway station was bombed into. flames. Western detachments crossed . the road between Torun and Strasburg, in East Prussia, on the Drewenz River, over which the. invaders have thrown bridges, in order; to their advance sbuthwartf.

WESTERPLATTE GARRISON MONTREAL, September 7. ' A Berlin message states the War Ministry announces that the Polish garrison, at Westerplatte surrendered at 10.20 p.m.

POLISH WOMEN FIGHTERS LONDON’, 7. Stories are -hbout Poland’s women’s army. A German officer in one of the captured towns is quoted as saying that fight “like tigers.” , NATION’S FUTURE AT STAKE. LUN.pON.-Sbptember 7. the Polish language, the Polish Ambassador declared: The future of the Polish nation is at stake. There cannot be any compromise while Polish soil is coveted. Rblatndj will . pass the great test, leading to victory. British and Polish military^—solidarity was preceded by a full understanding between the two Governments. Britain is determined to fight at Poland’s side, till final victory is secured.'

GENERAL TAKEN PRISONER. (Received September 8,- 10 a.m.) BERLIN, September 7. It is officially stated that General Gosiorowski, commander of the Seventh’Polish Division; was taken prisoner’at Lueiabanya.d* ■ >' Over 300 Slovak, deserters have crossed . the . . frontier.. , They declare that hundreds who were called up have fled. Hliiika .guards are watching the’ frbhtfers'ahd'are shooting deserters.

“FIGHTING LIKE LIONS.” LON&bNr September 8. / German railway offices have been established at Chojnice and Konitz , in the Corridor, and a locomotive depot has been formed at Konitz. Wounded Poles, returning to their base, reported that their comrades, holding the line north of Warsaw, fighting like lions repulsed repeated German efforts to break through. They outflanked the invaders, smashed their columns and captured a number of tanks, while “Archies” shot down six German planes. Berlin official despatches, dealing with southern Poland, says the Ger-man-Slovak army, operating in the

nortli-east of tne xaira wuuwuis auu the Carpathian area in Southern Poland, successfully attacked the Polish flank, and forced the Poles to retreat. The Slovaks captured many Polish officers and men. On the eastern sector of the southern front, the Poles, in the course of their withdrawal,, are ■ destroying bridges, building barricades and setting fire to villages./'German artillery and fighting planes prevented Polish aircraft from - bombing towns in East-

ern Slovakia. Ten battalions of the : Silesian labour corps are repairing the .damage due to the Polish retreat. ATTACK FROM THREE POINTS LONDON, September 7. The Berlin/, correspondent of the Associated Press of . America states today that German armies are bearing .down on Warsaw .from the north, west, ’and south, and the occupation of the. capital is declared to be inevitable. The High Command predicts that Lublin will also soon be within range; of the German guns. ' t ■ ,/ . • Military operations are pronounced to be- will ahead of: schedule, /though, regarding England, ,the army has been warned that more.; difficult assignments lie'ahead. ’ .. The British United; Press Berlin cor-' respondent says it is officially announced that German troops have reached Pul tusk, '3O miles from Warsaw. ' Reuters' Berlin correspondent says that Hitler is continuing his tour.of< the eastern front, between Tuchel and Graudenz,. The.„Paris correspondent of the.- Associated Press reports it is stated.'.that-although7the Germans are,: half way to Warsaw via Lodz, the Pol- ' ish main line of fortifications are as < yet untouched?’ ; Berlin wireless messages claimed > that German troops • were 19J miles; from .Warsaw-this afternoon. 4 Field-Marshal Go<^sin£ : has issued a. decree imposing the death penalty forJ pillaging in Polish occupied territory, < and the same for arson throughout : v the Reich. — > .. £ fr ’.\ Sr/ -iv< H. '• GERMAN'CAPTURES, T 5 ’ ? . > .1 v> NEW YORK, September 7. {j Berlin messages state that the High 5 Command ,' reported ■; 25,000 Polish ’ prisoners have been taken since the invasion. A total of 126 guns, also tanks i and armoured cars, as well as an unde- ? termined number of smaller arms, Y have been captured. ’ ■** t

INVADERS’ DIFFICULTIES. (Received September 'B, 10i40-a.m.) . ' PARISj September} 7 t -. j Tlid' newspaper.' “Midi” •states ’“that •« the German advance on’ (he. northern -» Polish front has slowed down, and the.invaders are experiencing more and.? more difficulty. The Poles also counter attacked at several points. ‘ : A Berlin communique, pays a tribute ’« to the courage of the defenders. .’LATEST POLISH BROADCAST ? (Reed. Sept. 8, 2.15 p.m. ■ NEW YORK,. September 7. The Budapest correspondent of the , Associated Press of America says the , Polish r radio station’ at Lwow, in a . broadcast, stated that- -th Ger man s' had also 5 railway lises a wide J area. Polish < aviators'-bi'oilght down * 35 planes; “The northern frsht’> ■ strongly resists German attacks, while Gdynia is * desperately defending • its positions. * The Germans lie when they say they » have destroyed the Polish fleet.” X