WEST FRONT ACTIVITIES

Grey River Argus, 18 April 1940, Page 7

WEST FRONT ACTIVITIES

FROM BOTH SIDES At Several Points [Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.J LONDON, April 15. On the Western Front there wers

sharp local engagements between French reconnaissance parties and! German units. 1 One French scouting party cut through the enemy wire and did

■ much damage in German territory ; until; the Germans founa tm-.n. , There was a sharp engagement, but ■ the French fought their way ■ their own line. " i A French official communique states: “On the part of the front held by the British, the enemy launched! an attack, prepared and accompanied by artillery fire. This attack was repulsed, and the enemy suffered serious losses. “In the Saar, our artillery fired on enemy organisations. There, was activity of our reconnaissance units to the east of the Vosges.’’ FRENCH ATTACKS. GERMANS CLAIM SUCCESS. BERLIN, April' 16. The High Command states: Enemy attacks in the sector east of the Moselle, and between the Palatinate front and the Rhine, were repulsed with heavy losses. The News Agency says that the Germans threw back enemy r#snnaissance patrols and shock troops. In an attack on an advance post, an enemy officer and 11 men were killed, and many were taken prisoners. Two Germans were wounded. German Preparations

ALONG THE MOSELLE. LUXEMBURG FEARS. LONDON, April 18. “The Times’s Brussels correspondent says that many inhabitants of Luzemburg, fearing an invasion, have moved to Namur and other Belgian towns. The Germans are reported to have erected 21 pontoon bridges across the! Moselle, at intervf/j of 300 yards. j A disquiet.ng number of German : tourists are entering Luxemburg. The Brussels authorities have arrested a number of aliens. FRENCH PLANE CRASHES. BRUSSELS, April 16. A French plane crashed near Luxembourg, 'after a battle with a German plane, } - RED CROSS MAN’S FEAT. PARIS, April 16. Frank O’Neill, of the Red Cross, the first American to enter No-Man’s-Land, saved four wounded Frenchmen. O’Neill, with a French str.tch-er-bearer, went out under German shelk-fire, and brought in the wounued.

BELGIUM’S ATTITUDE. WILL DEFEND HERSELF. BRUSSELS, April 16. M. Spaak, speaking in the Ssifate, said that the Government would not accept any suggestion for Belgian abandonment of neutrality or complete independence. “The Belgians are emotionally watching Norway's effort,” he added. “Her position is similar to ours. We are most determined to defend our national soil.” GERMANS ON SWISS BORDER. BERNE, April 16. The Federal Council announced that the necessary steps have been taken for the security of the nation. The announcement followed reports from Basle that 15 German divisions, | which were withdrawn from the re-| gion of the north Switzerland frontier, when Denmark and Norway were invaded, have returned. The Swiss general staff is calling up further battalions.