GERMAN REPORTS

Hokitika Guardian, 21 May 1940, Page 5

GERMAN REPORTS

ON BELGIAN FRONT ALLIED ATTACK REPULSED. c (United Press Association—By Electric X elegraph—Copyright). LONDON, May 19. , The German News Agency has . claimed that an Allied tank and arm- > otired car attack, which was made f south-west of Brussels, has been re- - 3' pulsed, and that 20 Allied tanks were 3 destroyed by the Germans. ".The German News Agency states ] that the, German casualties on most . of their fronts have been slight, but it is possible that there were heavy ! losses in some places. In adds: “The British forces are . trying to retreat north-westwards, , and the French forces are trying to retreat south-westwards, with the Belgian forces standing in between , them. FURTHER CLAIMS. OF SUBSTANTIAL SUCCESSES, i (Received this day at 9.25 a.m.) LONDON, May 20. The German High Command stated: We are continuing to pursue enemy rearguards in Belgium. We crossed the. Dendre and reached the Upper Schelde. British troops by a forced march are seeking to reach the. Channel ports. 1 At Maubeuge and southwards of Valenciennes we repulsed attacks by the French and Belgian army, who suffered heavily. Further south-westward, our mechanised units reached the plains of the Somme battlefield of the last war, on the road to Cambrai and Peronne. The inner belt of the Liege forts, and all forts in Namur, except one, are in our possession. The German air force successfully attacked enemy concentrations and aerodromes, and, sank two destroyers off the Belgian coast, and seriously .damaged a French torpedo-boat, and destroyed three merchantmen. The communique claims that the Allies yesterday lost 143 planes, of which 95 were shot down in aerial combat. Thirty-one German planes are missing. British planes last night repeated raids on western Germany. There were a number o'f civilian casualties. A war prisoners’ camp was the only military objective hit. A number of prisoners were killed. GOVERNOR OF BELGIUM. (Received this day at 12 noon). BERLIN," May 20. Herr Brauchitsch has appointed General Von Falkenhausen, military governor .of Belgium and also Holland, pending Inquart’s arrival. General Falkenshausen administered occupied Norway. The Government has urgently appealed for workers in factories and offices to remove their shoes and work in felt slippers. Leather footwear will henceforth be permissable only in the streets.