AERIAL ACTIVITY

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 October 1939, Page 7

AERIAL ACTIVITY

WESTERN FRONT COMBATS FRENCH PILOT’S “HAT TRICK” [BY CABLE —PRESS ASBN. —COPYRIGHT.] (Recd. October 14, 12.15 p.m.) - LONDON, October 13. “The Times’s’’ Paris correspondent states that a French airman, diving in succession on three Messerschmidts, which were about to land at an aerodrome, crashed them all. A reconnaissance machine in charge of a pilot and observer, encountered three enemy planes, which killed the pilot and twice wounded the observer, who, before he died, managed to land behind the French lines, with the photographs intact. The Germans attacked and set fire to a third reconnaissance plane. They killed the observer as he parachuted to earth. The pilot landed the machine in his own lines and saved the photographs, despite severe burns.

ENEMY RAIDS DEVELOPING PARIS, October 13. A French official communique says: Calm prevailed all night long over the greater part of the West Front. Enemy patrols were repulsed in the Warndt Forest. Other reports state that the German raids are developing into real attacks against French positions. The German intention of developing action on a bigger scale is indicated. v The French troops have blown, up three of the main bridges over the Rhine. German attacks were made southwest of Saarbrucken, but without effect. The French have made an advance south of Saarbrucken. EVACUATION PREPARATIONS (Recd. October 14, 11.30 a.m.) AMSTERDAM, October 13. J The “Telegraph’s” Berlin correspon-

dent states that the German Chancellery seems to be preparing for Herr Hitler to take up his headquarters near the Siegfried Line, which is interpreted to portend an aggravation ' of the Western situation. The inhabitants of Aachen, Dusseldorf and other Rhineland cities have been ordered to prepare for evacuation. GERMAN COMMUNIQUE. BERLIN, October 13. A communique states: Activity is confined to artillery and local patrols. The French blew up bridges at Wintersdorf, Breisach, and Neuenburg. X — LULL CONTINUES PARIS, October 13. Despite excellent weather, the lull on the Western Front continues. German activities are confined to sporadic patrol work.