FRENCH COMMAND

Hokitika Guardian, 21 May 1940, Page 5

FRENCH COMMAND

STILL CONFIDENT BATTLE OF BULGE CAN BE WON. {United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright;. LONDON, May 19. The French High Command is confident that the battle for the “bulge” can eventually be won. The re-grouping of the Allied forces has enabled effective counterattacks at a number of points. Against the German wedge movement north-west the French have qounten-attacked vigorously. One French report said that the German advance had been checked. Violent German attacks were repulsed in the region of Montmedy with heavy German losses. There has been great aerial activity. Allied fighters and anti-aircraft guns opposed German bombing raids, inflicting heavy losses on a- group of 15 German machines which lost twothirds of its effective planes'. The French 75’s have been in continuous action against German heavy tanks, and have exacted a tremendous toll from the advancing enemy forces. GERMAN ADVANCE. BETWEEN RHE IMS AND ARRAS. LONDON, May 19. The Germans again launched a furious attack with armoured columns, to-day, in their main drive westwards | from the centre of the Sambre-Alsne - sector, northwards of Laon. Heavy fighting along the Sambre and Oise Rivers continued throughout the day. The situation to-night is confused, but it appears that the spearheads of the German forces from Guise and Landreeies have reached St. Quentin and Le Chateau. It is estimated that the Germans threw an entire army corps, comprising five motorised divisions, into this attack. FRENCH REPORT. POSITION SERIOUS; EVEN GRAVE (Received this day at 9 a.m.) PARIS, May 20. The War Office Spokesman sail the genera] situation remains serious, even grave at certain points, hut has not been considerably modified' in the past 24 hours. We repulsed all enemy efforts in tho past 24 hours on other parts of the front. The position on the Western Front this morning may be summed up as follows: The strategic movement of the Allies’ left wing in northern Belgium continues. We are furiously resisting the Gorman attacks eastward of Cambrai. The German push westward of Cambrai continues. Five German planes dropped several bombs on Dieppe on May 18, killing one and. injuring one.