War Brevities

Northern Advocate, 16 December 1939, Page 10

War Brevities

Communique,— A French war communique states that there were rather sharp engagements between reconnaissance units in the Vosges region and also along the River Biles east of the Sarreguemines.

Explosion— Maintaining the greatest secrecy as to details, the Admiralty announces that five men were killed and 12 injured in an explosion off Helsingfors on Wednesday, says a Stockholm message. They attempted to haul in a float, to which objects had been tied at regular intervals, and one exploded.

Commons. —The House of Commons has adjourned until January 16.

Mission. —Colonel W. Ivory, formerly of the New Zealand Royal Artillery, has been appointed a member of the British Munitions Mission to the United States.

Bengal— The Bengal Legislative Council has passed a resolution of whole-hearted support for Britain. It adds a plea that the Indian Constitution will be examined after the war.

Confiscation. —A message from Hamburg states that a Prize Court ordered the confiscation of two seized Swedish ships. It ruled that all paper pulp was contraband. An expert gave evidence that Germany used paper wrappings for explosives inside shells, and said that he believed the British used similar wrappings. Prisoners. —The War Office announced last night a list of six prisoners of war captured from U-boats, and a further list of six was announced this morning.

Fake—The German freedom radio station emphatically denies that it made a recent broadcast telling Hitler that he had only 100 days to live. It asserts that the broadcast was a fake arranged by the German Minister of Propaganda (Dx\ Goebbels).