MORE ENEMY TROOPS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 167, 14 June 1940, Page 7

MORE ENEMY TROOPS

OCCUPATION OF RHEIMS. NAZI DRIVE WESTWARD. Received June 14, 10.20 a.m. LONDON, June 13. The French War Office spokesman said the High Command had decided to defend Paris to the northern outskirts and then retire to the' southern outskirts' in order to avoid fighting inside the city. The Bank of France has moved to Saumur, a town on an islet in the River Loire, 38 miles by rail southwest of Tours. The British War Office spokesman said the Germans had thrown in still more troops, and their strength at present was 120 divisions. The French counter-attacks near Persan-Beaumont, which is 14 miles north of Paris, are progressing tip to five miles. The French are holding everywhere, but a delicate point exists in Champagne, where the Germans are pushing hard in an attempt to separate our armies from the Maginot Line. j. The Germans have probably occupied Rheims, from which the French have withdrawn. The Germans are driving westward towards Le Havre, and are also trying to encircle Paris from the west and east. The situation is most critical at Rheims and in the Lower Seine regions. The fate of Le Havre is not yet known. 1 The French and British Air Forces are active and have bombed Mannheim, Neustadt and Frankfurt, m addition to the enemy’s'rear. The Germans have made air raids on East Paris, Evreux and Nantes. FLAME-THROWING TANKS/

Reports have been published of the participation in the battle of German llame-throwing tanks, but, although there seems no doubt the Germans possess such weapons, there is no information in London that they have so far been used, states a British Official Wireless message. Other reports “to-day refer to the presence of large numbers of Italian troops behind the German lines foi the past fortnight. There is no confirmation of this in London. According to Czechoslovak circles In London, the Czechoslovak Air Force lias now been established in Francs and will be part of the Czechoslovak Army now fighting in France. Already Czech pilots have distinguished themselves in the French aircraft units. The Czech Air Force is believed to be some thousand strong, including ground staff. V GERMAN SURVEY.

A German High Command communique states that over 26,000 prisoners were taken at St. Valery. Ihe total number of prisoners since June o is over 100,000. The Allies’ dosses m war material are very considerable. the two German armies on the wesrein flank alone captured over 2000 Allied ta<I ‘The operations are proceeding rapidly along the entire front. Me have crossed the Marne at many pointsOur divisions have captured Chalons and passed beyond the battlefields ot 1918. We have gained ground between the Argonne and the Meuse. ‘‘Our ’planes sank one transport and a large trooo-laden tug and bachy damaged another transport and a lar e number of smalt ships. -AVe shotdoyvi twenty barrage balloons at Le* Havre and our fighters in Norway shot down four of fifteen British ing to attack an aerodrome near Trond hefm. The Allies scattered bombs in Northern Germany, but failed-to hit mditary objectives; the enemy lost 19 hilanes and four German ’planes are missing A U-boat sank many ships during® an attack on a large Allied convoy.” The German spokesman said the TbS dtcS* would be heavy shelling. ________ NEW BELGIAN ARMY. LONDON, June 13. Belgians of -VoSS who escaped the Gen . e( j an ing. From these it ■ - to armv of 200, WU wii . ... There $ &ia ,* me t A a" ,e , S nd’farm Steffmplgfe throughout France. HOLLAND'S Received J„™'e IS. Queen have generously aid d Government, the Dutch people, the arid the -Roval. Family.