POLES WITHDRAWN

Grey River Argus, 6 September 1939, Page 7

POLES WITHDRAWN

In Silesia [Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] WARSAW, September 4. A Polish communique states:— Strong attacks continue on the Silesian front and in the Tatra Mountains. In face of heavily-super.ur forces, with armoured units, artillery ana air support, we are retreating in Silesia. , J The Poles admit that on Monday the Germans took the city of Czesrochowa, 20 miles from the South West frontier, south of Silesia. . The Poles state that near that city they previously destroyed two armoured columns of Germans.

POLISH SUCCESS. IN NORTH AND WEST. WARSAW, September 4. Heavy fighting on the East Prussian frontier has not materially altered the situation in this sector. A later report said slight Polish gains were made on the East Prussian front. The communique states that Polish cavalry recaptured Leszno and Rawicz on the' western frontier, and are pursuing the enemy. The communique states that Polish cavalry recaptured Leszno and Rawicz on the western frontier, and are pursuing the enemy. The communique adds: Twentyseven enemy planes were brought down, to-day. Our losses were eleven.

Silesian Fighting HEAVIEST IN POLAND. KATOWICE STILL HELD. (Received September 5, 9.30 p.m.) LONDON, September 5. The Warsaw correspondent of “The Times” confirms the fact that military operations in Poland are heaviest on the Silesian front, in the southwest (the mineralised region), but says that the city of Katowice (population 1,280,000, a centre of iron works and coal mining) is still held by the Poles. It is only a few miles from the German frontier. The correspondent states that the German artillery bombardment of Katowice is continuous, as are air raids on the city of Cracow (about 50 miles east of Katowice). Cracow has a population of 221,000, and the civil population have largely been evacuated. In the adjacent areas, the fields have been emptied of livestock. The roads are choked with refugees fleeing westwards, and with Polish troops marching eastwards. The correspondent adds that the Poles regained ground near Rybnik.

1400,000 Troops in Slovakia UNDER GERMAN COMMAND. CONVERGING AGAINST POLISH POSITIONS. (Received September 5, 9.30 p.m.) LONDON, September 5. “The Times” correspondent at Zilina, Czechoslovakia, says: “German troops have converged from their Slovak base upon Neumarkt, and also came from Levoca, Jablonka, and Poprad in Hungary, whence cavalry and infantry, preceded by tanks and armoured cars, took Slovak' troops with them. The Slovak troops, however, halted at the border, and formed defensive posts. “There are now 400,000 troops under German command in Slovakia, of whom 180,000, mainly Austrians, are fighting. “There is a great scarcity of food and tobacco. A German air raid with incendiary bombs annihilated the village of Chiemluch near Tarnow, in South Poland, killing many.”

Katowice Endangered A POLISH WITHDRAWAL IN CORRIDOR. (Received September 4, 11.44 p.m.) WARSAW, September 5. The Polish staff admits that it has been forced to abandon Bydgoszcz, south of the Corridor. The capture of Czestochowa, already reported, seriously endangeis Katowice.