GERMAN THREAT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23616, 28 March 1940, Page 11

GERMAN THREAT

LOW COUNTRIES WEST FRONT ACTIVITY HEA.W ARTILLERY FIRE ■ i PATHS, March -2Q An authorised spokesman states that German motorised units, which for some months have been kept about 35 miles from the Belgian and Dutch frontiers, are now stationed only 18 miles from those borders. Intense activity on the Western Front, combined with certain German military dispositions and diplomatic manoeuvres, have led to the belief that the Nazis have abandoned hope for the success of any peace offensive. Recent German reinforcements suggested a menace to western neutrals comparable with the alarming situation last January. The spokesman states that German allegations of Royal Air Force violations of Dutch territory in the past few days recalled similar Nazi procedure in January as a pretext for increasing pressure on Belgium and Holland. • *• The battle between Messerschmitts and Moranes was the high light in the flaring up of activity on the Western Front. Whereas the German communique claimed the destruction of one French aeroplane, the German news agency says several were brought down, and it adds that the forces were eight on each side. Heavy artillery fire occurred yesterday along the whole of the West Front. Aeroplanes acted in several places a# "spotters" for French guns. A German nttack against a French advance post in the Warndt region was easily repelled. Aircraft were active on both sides. According to correspondents with the British Expeditionary Force in France, the British line was extended to-day when British troops took over a new sector from the French troops, says a British official wireless message.

AERIAL COMBATS GERMAN VERSION ONE MACHINE CLAIMED SAARBRUCKEN ENCOUNTER By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright LONDON, March 26 The Berlin High Command states: "An enemy aeroplane was shot down in the course of a fight between Messerschmitts and Moranes in the neighbourhood of Saarhrucken. The Air Force on the night of Sunday made reconnaissance flights over northern and eastern France without encountering resistance. "Enemy aeroplanes flew over north and south-west Germany and violated the neutrality of Dutch, - Belgian, - Luxembourg-and Swiss territory; both approaching and returning." The Brussels radio stated to-day that' 20 aeroplanes were sighted at noon flying over Luxembourg at great heights in an easterly direction.