NAZI CAMPAIGN

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 166, 13 June 1940, Page 8

NAZI CAMPAIGN

is GREATEST VIOLENCE. FRENCH COUNTER-ATTACKS. (United Press Association —By Electric Tejegraph.—Copyright.) . (British Official VVireiess.) RUGBY, June 11. The French official evening communique stated: “During the day the. battle reached its greatest violence on the whole of the fighting front. It is clear that the enemy seeks to force a decision. \ “AA r est of the Oise he redoubled liis efforts to cross the Seine between Rouen and Vernon. Covering himself by emissions of artificial cloud, lie attempted to throw bis pontoon bridges over the river and bring tifnks on to the south bank. “Our troops, ceaselessly counter-at-tacking, are doing their utmost to contain the enemy. On the east of the Oise enemy divisions renewed their attacks with the support of numerous tanks.” “The Germans only found before them our rearguard, as tire main body of our divisions had retreated in order to mass their men and make their resistance south of the Marne. Further to the east the enemy brought into action masses of heavy tanks in the valleys of the A’csle and of the Ardre in order to outflank Rkeinis from the west and south-west. The pressure in this area has been extremely violent. In Champagne the enemy brought during the niglit fresh divisions south of the Aisne. “The fighting was resumed from dawn on the whole course of .the Retourn, the crossing of which lias been dearly disputed. Our troops made several counter-attacks south of Attigny, and serious losses were inflicted on the enemy. Between the Aisne and the Meuse all the enemy’s assaults have been repulsed. Our squadrons have carried out bombardments on landing grounds at Mannheim, Neustadt, and Frankfurt-on-Main, and the smelting works at A’olklinger. A formation of naval aircraft have bombed and set fire to the Heinkel works near Rostock.”

Attacking in strength along the full extent of the German offensive in Northern France, R.A.F." bomber squadrons throughout Monday and last niglit kept up a series of vigorous assaults on the enemy positions from the Channel coast to the German frontier. In the daylight hours of Monday strong forces of medium bombers concentrated on the right wing of the German offensive, harassing mechanised columns on the roads east of Rouen and hampering the enemy’s advance towards the Lower Seine. A Henschel 1926 circling Dieppe was attacked by one bomber and, after ex-, ploding in mid-air 7 was seen to crash in flames. STRONG OFFENSIVE.

AVith nightfall the heavy bomber squadrons went into action. Ranging from Abbeville to Luxembourg, they carried out a strong offensive against railways, roads, marshalling yards, and aerodromes that lasted until early in the hours of Tuesday morning. In the eastern sphere a long convoy oi motor vehicles on the move at Fischback (near Luxembourg) was heavily bombed and scattered. The railway line at Liart (an important junction due west of Charlevillc) was wrecked by a direct hit, and in a later attack on the same objective the marshalling yard was struck and fires were started. Bombs were dropped on a nearby aerodrome where niglit flying was in progress and set hangars and buildings alight, and made craters in the landing area. A main road bridge across the Meuse between Charleville and Sedan, and a railway j bridge at Givet, were attacked by the light of parachute flares. . A salvo of high-explosive bombs fell across the railway at Bertrix and tore up the metals an.d started a fire that was still burning when the aircraft

left their target some time later. Further west road junctions around La on and La Fere used by enemy reinforcements for the thrust towards Soissons were systematically bombed by sections of aircraft in turn. At Laon bombs straddled the target area, which included the railway as well as roads. . ~ Fires were started in tlie town, while bomb craters and the debris of demolished buildings' caused road blocks at many points. At La Fere the raiders came down low to bomb the main exits of the town and here again' railways were hit and wreckage set alight by incendiary bombs. Another section of bombers dropped bombs along the Soissons-Chauny road. One heavy salvo, falling short of the road, landed among a battery of anti-aircraft guns. Other forces of heavy bombers were key points at the rear of the enemy’s advance towards the Lower Seine. Road exits from Poix, Fleury and Grandvilliers were bombed, the railway junction at Abbeville was attacked and buildings at the northern entrance to Afiiiens were demolished and blocked the main roads. ' HOUSES AVRECKED. In an attack on Forges the bombs that fell in the main street wrecked houses on either side and a column of vehicles, disorganised by the bombing, was thrown into confusion by lowlevel machine-gun attacks. Bomber crews operating in this area reported ■ that the smoke from burning woods

and buildings filled the surrounding valleys. " , The aerodrome at Bethune was raided in the early hours of Tuesday morning and a number of high-ex-plosive bombs were dropped across the lighted flare path. At Douai the aerodrome was also attacked by a bomber which, diving within 300 ft. of the ground, opened fire with both front aud rear gun turrets. Over a thousand rounds were fired. One of the enemy aircraft was set on fire and another badly damaged. The Air Ministry stated late on Tuesday night: “During this afternoon aircraft of the Coastal Command successfully attacked enemy naval forces in Trondheim harbour. Two enemy cruisers and transports were hit with bombs, and many other bombs were seen to fall among the warships. Our aircraft encountered severe opposition from enemy fighters and anti-aircraft gunfire. Two of our aircraft failed to return.” . _ , , The names of one New Zealander and one Australian appear in a short list of decorations of 11.A.F. officers. Flying-Officer T. B. Fitzgerald, who comes from Timaru, is awarded the D.F.C. for daring and successful work at Sedan, and for effecting a safe landing, thus saving the lives of his crew, although he himself was wounded. Before joining the R.A.F. Flying-Officer Fitzgerald served in the Royal New Zealand Air Force. The D.F.C. is also awarded to Fly-ing-Officer L. R- Clisby, who comes from McLarenvale (South Australia). During April, piloting one of three Hurricanes which attacked nine Messerschmitt 109’s. he shot down one and the following day destroyed another. In May he engaged in six combats m which he shot down eight enemy ’planes. Enlisting in the R.A.F. in 1935, he was commissioned in August, 1937’. He is now reported missing.