OFFENSIVE NOT YET STARTED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20258, 28 May 1940, Page 7

OFFENSIVE NOT YET STARTED

POSITION IMPROVED SLIGHTLY VIOLENT NAZI ONSLAUGHT PRESSED SUCCESSFUL BRITISH COUNTER-ATTACK (Elec. Tel. Copyright—-United Press Assn.) (Reed. May 28, 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, May 27. Speaking in Paris to-day the French military spokesman stated: “The Allies are fighting a great defensive battle, the outcome of which is still uncertain. The Allied o/fensive lias not yet started. The Germans arc using every possible weapon against the Allies. Their losses in men, tanks ant planes arc enormous. German scouts pushed northuaid from Boulogne, but Calais was still in French hands at 9 a.m. The French morning communique stated, that the Allied troops had been withdrawn from the Valenciennes region to previously-prepared positions. “The enemy, strongly leinforccd, is continuing attacks in the region of Menin, regardless of losses,” added the communique, “The Allies are holding the enemy advance in this sector.” The general impression in French military and political circles last evening was that the situation had slightly improved in the last 24 hours. To-night’s British Expeditionary Force communique stated: “The Germans violently attacked the French and Belgian forces on .the flanks of the British Expeditionary Force. British infantry counter-attacked successfully in co-operation with French tanks. The British forces, in Belgium fought side by side with the Belgian Army, meeting strong attacks. The British front is intact.” Claim To Calais Denied The German High Command shortly before midnight on Sunday claimed that German troops from Gravelines had entered Calais after hard fighting, but military circles in London repeated the statement that Calais was still in Allied hands. Despite the German occupation of Boulogne, the French military spokesman said that stubborn Allied resistance had halted the main German advance towards the Channel. A French radio commentator said that tin 1 Germans were hurrying reinforcements northwards from the Swiss frontier and from the Siegfried Line. He added that the number of German divisions on the northern French and Belgian front were six-fold greater than the forces operating in the gap between the Allied armies. These forces. had presumably launched an offensive against the Belgian positions to which the British troops were hastening. A'communique issued on Sunday night and broadcast over the new Belgian official wireless stated that despite the many and hard struggles fought during the past fortnight and despite the difficult conditions under which the troops had to take up new positions, the forces had maintained their strength and were resisting the enemy who were .trying to push on to the Pas de Calais area with its coastline along the English Channel. It is reported from Paris that the Allied Commamler-in-Cliicf, General Weygand, again liew over the German lines yesterday on a visit to the Allied Nor.th Army Command. The Air Ministry states that Royal Air Force bombers throughout last night and without loss continued attacks on enemy communications and also enemy aerodromes in Belgium and Holland. In the rear areas a number of German planes were shot down. , Damage Caused By British Planes . A further Air Ministry announcement states: “Last night bomber aircraft of the Royal Air Force attacked aerodromes in the hands of the enemy, including those of Flushing, Brussels and Antwerp. Operations were also continued against the enemy’s lines of communication in Belgium.and western Germany. Hits were made on railway junctions, sidings, convoys and armoured vehicles. An anti-aircraft battery was put out of action. Later in the evening much damage was done by medium bombers to a concentration of enemy mechanised vehicles near Boulogne. To-day’s bombing operations have been carried out against various objectives in Flanders. So far all the British bombing aircraft have returned safely. “Preliminary reports show that 28 enemy aircraft have been destroyed or seriously damaged by our fighters to-day. One patrol of Defiants shot down five enemy bombers. Five of our fighters are reported missing.” The losses inflicted on the enemy were to-day described by the military spokesman in Paris as at times assuming the proportions of a massacre. He added that the French were . amazed by the German persistence after slaughter in which whole German units were wiped out by French guns. In reporting recent developments on the battle front British correspondents constantly refer to the magnitude of the German losses and the fact that every ounce of tbe enemy’s strength and resources is being thrown into the present battle, irrespective of the losses suffered. In the Lys sector, says one correspondent, the Germans threw artillery, motorised troops, infantry and aviation into a determined drive to break the Belgian line, but registered only slight local advantages at tremendous loss to themselves. In the vicinity of Valenciennes the Germans threw everything they had into two attacks on the French positions on the Scheldt, but without success. Enormous German Losses The Nazis sustained enormous losses in the Montmedy sector. The correspondent adds: “The German losses on Saturday were exceptionally heavy. The French, after counter-attacking, found the battle ground literally covered with enemy dead and wounded.” Referring to the German air losses the correspondent says that the enemy’s losses are now estimated at .100 or 125 daily. A foreign broadcast stated that German planes,' submarines, speed-boats, mine-boats and destroyers had incessantly patrolled the straits between Dover and Calais and between Folkestone and Boulogne. It is authoritatively stated in London that if the word “British” replaced “German” the statement would be 100 per cent true. A Berlin message states that the official German news agency claims the capture of Lens and Bcthune. 1 It is also reported in Berlin that Prince Wilhelm of Prussia, the eldest son of the ex-Crown Prince of Germany, j j died yesterday from wounds received in Flanders. \