“Get Ready” Warning For French Patriots

Northern Advocate, 21 August 1943, Page 3

“Get Ready” Warning For French Patriots

LONDON, August 20. A high British army officer last night broadcast another "get ready” warning to the French people. “Those of you belonging to resistance groups know already that your services are wanted on the ‘Day J’ at the ‘hour H.' " The situation within France is extremely tense. following General Eisenhower's message to prepare for invasion, reports the Berne correspondent of the “Nork York Times.” All groups of resistance are reported to be ready and anxiously awaiting Allied landings which are expected any day. Meantime. Vichy Government is perturbed and perplexed. Laval, striving to cling to office, has proposed reconstruction of the Cabinet to include former Senators and Deputies who still have popular support. However, the Germans are likely to remove Laval when invasion occurs and substitute the leader of the French Nazis (Doriot.)

, Axis Airfields Pounded Allied air forces today pounded Axis airfields for the sixth day of the nonstop offensive against strategic points in Western Europe. French and Dutch air crews struck against targets of their own countries, Frenchmen hitting marshalling yards at Abbeville, and Dutchmen an airframe factory at Flushing. The Allies are now blasting German air bases at a rate of _ one every three hours. Bombers, making 20 assaults in 75 daylight hours, struck against .15 airfields. New Waves of Planes Shortly after the roar of planes died away over the coast of Britain today, the crash of guns was heard across the Straits of Dover. As the first assault force returned, new waves of planes went out, forces passing in midChannel. Spitfires escorted bombers, but German fighters did not offer strong resistance. Main opposition came from anti-aircraft guns. “Everything Ready for Zero Hour" Berlin radio, expatiating on Germany's coastal defence system a few hours after Mr. Stimson’s statement that Allied armies were poised to strike again, said: "Everything is ready for zero hour." Captain Sertorius said the battles in Africa had given time for German armies to establish mighty defences on the flanks of the European continent. He added: "It is doubtful whether the Allies will decide to establish a second front this year."