100,000 KILLED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23661, 21 May 1940, Page 8

100,000 KILLED

ROTTERDAM BOMBING DAMAGE TO CITY FURROW OF DESTRUCTION By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright (Rccoivod May 20, G. 35 p.m.) LONDON, May 20 The Dutch Legation in Paris, in a statement, said that at least 100,000 people, a fifth of the population, were killed and a third of the city was destroyed when the Germans bombed Rotterdam. Two squadrons of bombers in close formation dropped delayed action bombs which ploughed a furrow of destruction. The bombers returned many times, continuing their monstrous destruction. A Berlin report says that Seyss Inquart, who was head of tlio Nazis in Austria, has been appointed commissioner of tlio Netherlands. The official Berlin news agency says that a decree issued by Hitler reincorporates in Germany tho territories of Eupen and Malmedy, and therefore the inhabitants of these areas must not be treated as inhabitants of occupied enemy territory. A German High Command communique says: "With tho resistance at Walcheren broken the wholo of Holland and all the islands arc in German hands. "A 6000-ton cargo vessel was sunk by bombs off the Franco-Belgian coast." PARACHUTE TROOPS MANY BREAK THEIR LEGS NO CHOICE ABOUT JUMPING LONDON, May 15 Many of tho German parachute troops who landed at Tho Haguo when the invasion began on Friday were boys ayed 16 and 17, said Mr. William ]\lcCann, one of the Australian refugees from Holland. Mr. McCann, who is tho son of tho South Australian Agent General in London, has arrived in London.

"Many of the boys believed they were helping Holland to fight England," ho said. "The Dutch peoplo were horrified to find such young troops arriving. I think this upset them more than anything. "The first parachutists jumped from a low altitude, and almost all of them broke their locts on landing. Even those who landed without harm were shot down without much resistance. The Germans dropped tho next batch from a greater height.

"Many of these wont into farmhouses and seized Dutch clothes. They then stopped motor-cars and got lifts into the city, where they bogan shooting. I saw a man dressed as a clergyman arrested in the streets of The Hague.

"There was one report that the Germans had dropped a small car by parachute."

O'Down Gallagher, special correspondent on the Western Front for the Daily Express, reports that Nazi parachute troops have no choice about jumping from German aeroplanes. The floor drops automatically and they fall Gilt. . When the aeroplanes are above their objective, pilots in charge pull a lever, which opens the floors of their machines. The parachutists are equipped with folding cycle, rifle and maps. A young German parachutist found tampering with important communications near a railway junction was assaulted by French civilians of both

sexes. Armed with knives and other weapons, they rushed at him and knocked him off his feet. He was rescued by French Moroccan troops. AIR LINER SHELLED FAMOUS DUTCH PILOT LONDON. May 15 A K.L.M. Douglas air liner arrived in London from Holland to-day, holed in 14 places by shrapnel. It was piloted by Captain Parinentier, tho Dutch pilot who flew a Douglas aeroplane into third place in tho London-Melbourne air race in 1934. Tho 8.8.C. announced that Royal Dutch Airlines (K.L.M.) would be run in conjunction with Imperial Airways. Dutch machines will run a service from Batavia to Alexandria (Egypt). From there, passengers will be taken on to Britain by Imperial Airways.