ENEMY ASSAULT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23600, 8 March 1940, Page 7

ENEMY ASSAULT

WEST FRONT CLASH MORE THAN MERE RAID WELL-PLANNED ATTACK "By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright LONDON. March 0 The affair in which British troops were taken prisoner on the Western Front yesterday amounted to a miniature attack, and not merely a raid, says a message from Paris. It .was carefully planned. The Germans had brought up trench mortars on the pevious night and had calculated the ranges . in advance. They were able to launch heavy fire on the British outpost. When the assault began German artillery dropped a box barrage around the outpost both to prevent the British troops escaping and neighbouring comrades from going to their aid.

British Heavily Outnumbered British and French artillery answered, placing a "stopping barrage" ahead of the outpost, but the raiders succeeded in penetrating the Allied curtain of fire. A communique issued by the British War Office savs: "The raid on the British outpost of the 1.1 aginot Line occurred under cover of a tivnch mortar and macliine-gun fire barrage at dawn. The enemy succeeded in entering the post, which was held by part of an infantry platoon. They killed the platoon sergeant and left one man dead in the post. Further casualties occurred during the withdrawal as the result of artillery and machine-gun fire.

The clash between British and German forces was the most vigorous since the British Expeditionary Force entered the front line. The troops in the outpost were heavily outnumbered, but the position was swiftly reoccupied and is now strongly held. Bombastic German Version The German raid was apparently aimed at taking prisoners, as the attackers retreated quickly, leaving some dead. A semi-official German commentary on the action says: "This was the first real fight with the British and these are the first British prisoners taken, apart from an officer who was mortally wounded weeks ago. "Our shock troops made a bold raid and revealed that the British are occupying only one narrow sector supported on either side by the French. Our loudspeakers announced the capture to the French, some of whom gave malicious and joyful laughs and called out: 'Serves them right; you will look after them well'."

Broadcast by Prisoners The Germans claim that 20 British were killed and 16 taken prisoner, but British headquarters emphasise that only two were killed and one wounded. The Berlin radio to-day broadcast interviews with three of the prisoners. A Bedford man, replying to questions, said: "1 am in the best of health," and added, apprehensively, "at the present time." A Somerset soldier spoke in similar terms, and a man from Berkshire said: "Hullo, mother, I am all right. I am not wounded, but I am a prisoner of the Germans." j The front has been' comparatively quiet since the heavy raid on the outpost. Last night a raid by the Germans east of the Moselle was repulsed.

ANTI-TANK BATTERY NEW ZEALANDERS TRAINING LONDON, March 8 Two New Zealand liaison officers, Lieutenant-Colonel B. S. Park and Major C. J. Duff, have gone to France for a week. The New Zealand anti-tank -battery is undergoing a week's intensive firing practice. All the men have been vaccinated and inoculated against typhoid.

BRITAIN AND SOVIET (Received March 7, 5.35 p.m.) LONDON, March G The Prime Minister, Mr. Chamberlain, in the House of Commons, said publication of the White Paper dealing with the British and Soviet negotiations prior to the war had been deferred. "The Government," he said, "changed its mind about publication in the light of general considerations."