Twenty-Five Years Ago

Northern Advocate, 15 December 1939, Page 6

Twenty-Five Years Ago

An important concentration of German troops near Courtrai was interpreted to indicate that the enemy’s recent plans >to advance on Calais had been abandoned in favour of an attempt to break the Allies’ line further inland. German authorities announced that any person carrying arms in East Flanders would be summarily shot. Reuter’s' correspondent stated that the Serbians had driven the Austrians out of Belgrade after a desperate battle, mid had reoccupied the city. . Owing to the massing of Austrian forces in the Carpathians, Russians had been compelled to retire somewhat, in order to secure more suitable ground. An official Vienna communique stated that the Austrians took 9000 Russian prisoners and captured 10 machine guns. Lord Halsbury, in a speech at Westminster, protested against the blasphemous cant of any man thinking himself appointed by God to seize another’s property. Any emperor seeking progress and world empire by seizing countries smaller than his own was a dirty thief and ought to he hanged. Frequent revolts among Bohemians and Moravian troops were reported. On several occasions they had refused to fire. All ringleaders and 10 per cent of the others were shot. Three hundred clerks and sorters were sent to the front to assist with the Christmas mails. There had been a stream of parcels to the front for several iveeks, and the hulk was growing • enormously.