POSITION UNCHANGED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23662, 22 May 1940, Page 9

POSITION UNCHANGED

STRONG NIGHT ATTACKS FAIL HEAVY BRITISH BOMBINGS HITLER'S 60,000 MOTOR-CYCLISTS (Received May 21, 11.45 p.m.) PARIS, May 21 An Allied communique this morning states that in spite of numerous" enemy engagements, the night has brought no important change in the situation, which remains confused between the Sambre and Cambrai. There were strong enemy attacks on the northern side of the wedge last night in the attempt to drive through to the Channel ports. On the southern side of the wedge the attacks were less and the enemy were repulsed along the Aisne and at Rethel. The counter-attack by the French at La Fere may threaten both the enemy flanks. Heavy bombing attacks were carried out yesterday by the Royal. Air Force on enemy lines of communication and troop concentrations behind the German lines in France and Belgium. The attacks were continued during the night. Oil tanks at Rotterdam were bombed and set on fire. Sixty thousand motor-cycle troops constituted one of Hitler's "blitzkrieg " weapons on the Western Front. French tanks mowed down numbers of them and Allied aeroplanes caused severe losses among the others. The spokesman of the German High Command, in a broadcast, admitted that the soldiers taking part in the push on the Western Front include men who had been trained for only eight weeks—" but they set their teeth and did their duty."