ON WESTERN FRONT

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 October 1939, Page 7

ON WESTERN FRONT

ENEMY FORCED TO RETREAT FRENCH REOCCUPY POSITIONS [BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN.—COPYRIGHT.] • PARIS, October 17. It is announced that the German casualties in the attack on a four-mile front'east of the Moselle, number between 500 and 1000. The Germans also lost more than 20 tanks. ..(■ , _ The British United Press says that the French, anticipating the attack, withdrew from their advanced positions,. leaving a. large number of mines which exploded, killing scores of advancing Germans. The French then opened heavy artillery fire, disorganising the enemy and forcing him to retreat. . . ..... The French are now reoccupying all the advanced positions. ■

SECOND ASSAULT HELD UP. (Recd. October 18, 10.20 a.m.) PARIS, October 17. A French official communique, this morning, stated: “Towards the end of yesterday afternoon, the Germans launched a second attack, supported by heavy aritllery fire, in the region east of the Saar, over a front of 30 kilometres. Our light advance elements fell back fighting in accordance .with plan, but our fire held up the enemy on a prearranged line. In anticipation of the resumption of the offensive in German, territory, in order indirectly to" assist the Polish armies, the whole of the necessary movements were completed by October 3. We only left a- light line of observation posts and a - few supports, to keep, in touch with the ‘enemy. NO CHANGE IN POSITION. (Received October 18, 1.20 p.m.) PARIS, October 17. An evening communique states: There has been activity along the whole front, but no change in positions since the morning, despite sharp infantry engagements. GERMAN STATEMENT DENIED. (Received October 18, 11.30.a.m.) PARIS,' October 17. Although the German High Command states that the French have evacuated the greater part of German territory occupied in front of the Siegfried Line, and are retreating over the frontier, the French War Office declares that the French troops remain on German soil, almost the whole way from the Moselle to the Rhine. It is admitted that the Germans have regained some of the farthest positions occupied by the French in the September • advance. The Germans have not resumed the .attack this morning. ' ■ '• ■>. - ‘ .. . It is now learned that one German division was engaged in yesterday’s attack in the Moselle sector, and four or five divisions were engaged along the sector east of the Saar. It is stated that scores of Germans, wearing steel vests and visors, and carrying machine-guns, were killed. An earlier laconic communique, stating: “We obtained results north-west of Wissembourg," meant that the

French captured prisoner's, from whom they obtained much information of the German plans. BRITISH ARMY TRADITION. LORD GORT'S CONFIDENCE. (Received October 18,'12.25. p:m.) • ■ . ■ PARIS; October 17. Lord Gort, who gave, a. luncheon to war •correspondents • “Somewhere in France,’’.said: “Tell your peoples.that we stand four-square.. We. stand to fight for the freedom of'all right-mind-ed people. The British soldier has-al-ways known, 1 in every-age,' how to die for his honour and; his country. The men out here will do/.-nothing. to let down that tradition."