FRANCO – GERMAN HOSTILITIES COMMENCE

Northern Advocate, 6 September 1939, Page 7

FRANCO - GERMAN HOSTILITIES COMMENCE

FIGHTING ALONG 200 MILES OF RHINE FRONTIER

Raid Warnings in Paris (Received 11 a.m.) LONDON, September 4. f T WAS LEARNED IN PARIS THAT HOSTILITIES I BETWEEN FRANCE AND GERMANY BEGAN AT 5 a.m., WITH A TERRIFIC ARTILLERY DUEL. Fighting appears to be general along 200 miles of the Rhine frontier, states the Paris correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain. French troops are reported to be hammering the “Burgundy Gate,” which is the valley enclosed by the Vosges and the Alps northward of the conjunction of the Franco-German and Swiss frontiers. A further offensive is reported in the Moselle Valley.' In a message from Paris, the Independent Cable Service reports that French troops have penetrated the German lines at a dozen points, advancing as much as three kilometres. Although the first war communique issued in Paris stated that the whole land, sea and air forces had begun operations, the German wireless from Berlin announced that there was nothing to report from the Western frontier.

Terrific Artillery Duel Reported