BERLIN VERSION

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

BERLIN VERSION

GAINS CLAIMED UNITS ENCIRCLED FIERCE RESISTANCE AIR FORCE HANDICAPPED BAD WEATHER EXCUSE (Elec. Tol. Copyright-— United Press Assn.) (Reed. June 1, 11.50 a.m.) LONDON, May 31. A German High Command communique states: “We destroyed or took prisoners the mass of the French troops in north-eastern France, but encircled units are still resisting at a few points. “We are continuing attacks against the remainder of the British troops in a loop between Furnes, Bergues and westward of Dunkirk. The loop has been flooded. The enemy is resisting stubbornly, trying to rescue as many soldiers as possible with ships regardless of losses of material.

“We wiped’ out a British force which attempted to escape from Cassel.

“Freed Further Tasks”

“The German forces in Artios and Flanders are now freed for further tasks.

“Bad weather yesterday handicapped our air forces, but we repeatedly attacked the docks at Dunkirk. We shot down three French planes in northern France and one British plane at Stavanger. Two of our planes are missing. British planes, one of which was shot down, again attacked nonmilitary objectives in north Germany. The damage was not serious. “The German navy has taken over the coastal defence of all Dutch ports and also Belgian and French ports in our possession. A German high-speed torpedo boat sank a destroyer off the Belgian coast.”