Belgians Cheer Allied Flags

Northern Advocate, 11 May 1940, Page 9

Belgians Cheer Allied Flags

(Received 2 p.m.) LONDON, May 10. Allied liaison officers arrived in Brussels at noon. The inhabitants cheered when they sighted the Allied flags. The British war correspondent at a Franco-Belgian frontier post, describing the arrival of the British armies, says that tanks, armoured cars, motor transports and motor cycle troops are sweeping into Belgium in an unending cavalcade. The Allies’ Password Marshal Gamelin, Allied cobnmander, in the Order of the Day. said: “The attack 'which we had foreseen since last October, has been launched, and Germany is engaged in a war to the death against us. Here the password for France and all her Allies is: ‘Courage, energy and confidence.’ ” The announcement this morning that British and French Governments were taking immediate steps to go to the assistance of Holland and Belgium with all means at their command, was followed by assurance from the French War Office that a plan, prepared in advance in the event of enemy invasion of Belgium, was being carried out says a British t Official Wireless message. Meanwhile Brussels observers reported that British and French troops were moving.

Widespread Bombings. The French morning communique states that early today the Germans began to invade Belgium, Holland and Luxemburg. The French armies during (he night were warned to stand by. The enemy started aerial bombardments in northern and eastern France. Cur anti-aircraft guns and fighters shot down several planes. Two soldiers were killed at Lyons and tw.o houses destroyed near Lille. A French military spokesman in a statement said that the German attack against Belgium, Holland and Luxemburg was made along all three frontiers. There was nothing on the French frontier except lively patrol encounters on a ten-mile front. The Germans are attacking Belgium, He Hand and Luxemburg in customary manner, concentrating against aerodromes to prevent opposing aircraft Jrom taking off. It is officially stated in France that the Germans bombed the aerodrome at Longwy, in addition to military airports and other French towns. These are now described as not being open towns. Eighteen bombers were shot down during these attacks. An aerodrome at Calais and some R.A.F. aerodromes in northern France are reported to have been bombed. Raiders visited Paris, but did not drop any bombs.. Two villages near Boulogne are reported to have been bombed.