RECAPTURE OF ABBEVILLE AREA

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20262, 1 June 1940, Page 7

RECAPTURE OF ABBEVILLE AREA

FLANDERS REARGUARD FIGHTING BLASTING WAY FROM NAZI TRAP ONSLAUGHT BY MILLION INVADERS EVACUATED UNITS REACHING ENGLAND FORCES OF BELGIUM STILL IN ACTION (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. June 1, 11.40 a.m.) LONDON, May 31. The British United Press Paris correspondent says it is officially stated that the French in a 48-hour operation, recaptured the Abbeville region wholly and are mopping up the Germans. The heavy German losses include several entire motorised columns and hundreds of prisoners. 1 French military spokesman to-day declared that the hist important elements of General Pnoux s army fougi way through the German lines and reached the Dunkirk Son. French units, doggedly fighting had broken through the line between Cassel and Kemmel. Other foiees were still heavily engaging the Germans. The British and French were strongly entrenched at Dunkirk and vere holding out solidly

It is authoritatively stated in London that the evacuation of the British and 1 French troops from northern Trance continues. The announcement of the figures of the evacuation is not permissible, but it is known that the numbers are very large. According to the British United Press about half of the British Expeditionary Force has so far returned to England. Seven transports docked within half an hour at one reception port. ! The British Expeditionary Force losses may still be high, but it is known that they are much lighter than was at. first thought possible. The percentage of wounded men arriving is becoming less. Difficulties of Evacuation The heroes from Flanders are still returning to England. Those who could walk and swim dug themselves m m the sand on Belgian beaches and waited for hours under murderous aerial bombardment until the bulk of their disabled comrades were embarked. The difficulties oi evacuation increased hourly. Many transports were bombed on both the outward and the, homeward journeys. Gen a .artillery was to-day shelling Dunkirk, but the men said they were confident their comrades were still maintaining the gallant rearguard action and would get away under the screen of the Allied navies. It is stated that the Allied troops are now holding a line a certain distance from the coast. The German air force is admittedly in great numerical superiority blit is unable either to prevent the re-embarkation of the Allied troops or. to inflict more than minor injuries on the ships carrying out the embarkation. The French communique states that the operations in the north are continuing with the same bitterness around Dunkirk. On the Somme and the Aisne several scattered local infantry actions occurred. Between the Meuse and the Moselle the French repulsed an attack. Ever-Narrowing Corridor Last night’s reports stated that through the ever-narrowing corridor north-west of Lille to Dunkirk the rearguard of the British Expeditionary Force and French forces were still fighting grimly to join the troops already evacuating. ihe Germans were reported to have launched 1,000,000 men and their entire armoured divisions in a final assault on the line across the corridor, 12 miles north-east of Cassel to Foperinghe. The French military authority said the vanguard of General Prioux’s army, which was fighting the chief of isolated rearguard actions outside a narrowing perimeter around Dunkirk, had blasted its way from the German trap in a furious tank battle to reach Dunkirk. The remainder were reported to be following, although it was admitted that the Germans advancing in the vicinity of Cassel threatened to isolate this force. Midnight reports from military circles in Paris said that the British troops were resisting behind the flooded Yser region protecting the flank of the French forces in the eoiridor. Dunkirk was holding out magnificently, despite attacks by hundreds of German planes. Flooding Taking Effect The Allied action in flooding the regions round Dunkirk was taking effect. The whole area south-westward of Dunkirk from the neighbourhood of Gravelines to St. Omer had reverted to the huge marsh of 20 centuries ago when it held up Caesar’s legions. North-eastward the waterline stretches from Nieuport to Ypres along the Yser Valley for a width of two to three miles. Thousands of tons of water had been pouring into this region each tide for 48 hours.. The countryside was flooded several feet deep, cheeking the German tanks and infantry and allowing the release of troops to assist in the defence of the Flanders hills. A spokesman said that every hour the hills were held gave General Prioux’s army a greater chance to escape. His * troops were literally cutting their way through the German troops, often fighting on all sides simultaneously. Progress was slow, but they were moving, leaving behind little centres of resistance amid the network of canals and towns which were breaking the German pressure on the main force. Officer’s Scorn of Leopold’s Order It is reported in Paris that Belgian troops are still fighting though the number is unknown. According to the wellinformed Writer, Madame Tabouis, Belgian forces under the command of General de Krae, the commander of the Liege military region, were fighting at six points yesterday. A Belgian officer declared he was astounded when the order came to the Belgian army to cease fighting. “We will not stop fighting on King Leopold’s order and there are thousands of other Belgian soldiers of the same opinion,” he declared. “The British and French are fighting magnificently and getting away their troops successfully despite the Germans who are doing their worst.”