RAIL CENTRES HIT

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24675, 30 August 1943, Page 3

RAIL CENTRES HIT

BOMBERS AID ARMY STRATEGIC RUSSIAN RAIDS (Reed. 8.10 p.m.) LONDON, Auk. 29 Soviet bombers again backed up the land offensive by striking at vital German rail centres. They bombed Poltava for the second night running, scoring hits on enemy trains loaded with fuel, ammunition and war supplies. Many great explosions and fires were caused. Other formations attacked Vnlnovaklia, a railway junction 30 miles south of Stalino, and Roslavl, north-west of Briansk, causing great damage in the marshalling yards. German airfields were also heavily attacked and many fires started among grounded aircraft. Two Russian aircraft are missing from all these operations. In the Barents Sea the Soviet Air Force sank an enemy transport of 6000 tons and severely damaged another transport, says a communique. Eighteen enemy planes were shot down in aerial engagements.

GUERILLA THREAT CAPITAL _OF_ CROATIA MEN TRAINED BY ALLIES (Reed. 7.15 p.m.) LONDON, Aui?. 28 —■ GneriHas in nre-threaten-" ins Zagreb, capital of Croatia, from the south and south-east following their capture of Slunj. Topusko and Jajce, reports 1 the Germ an-control led STB. news agency in Stockholm. Strong partisan forces are also reported to be advancing in the direction of the Ljubia iron ore mines. Guerillas are again going into action throughout. Croatia after organising their forces. Fierce battles are also raging in Eastern Bosnia, south-east ofTuzla, the news agency adds. Guerillas attacked trains and wrecked tracks at many points. They now completely control the line between Jajce and Bugonitieder. The Stockholm correspondent of the British United Press points out that Berlin often uses the S.T.B. for issuing foreboding news. Allied liaison officers, working with resistance groups in Yugoslavia and Greece, are wreaking great havoc and destruction among war factories and important communications. Yugoslavs and Greeks for many months have undergone special training with our troops and have then been taken by secret routes to carry on revolt in their own countries. Our own officers live and fight with them and help to plan local actions which are causing the enemy grave anxiety and discomfort. The tremendous organisation required to keep the patriots and guerillas fully armed and supplied must be carried out with utmost secrecy. The Germans are at their wit's end to discover how the constant stream of equipment and reinforcements arrives. ARREST BY GESTAPO EX-PRESIDENT OF FRANCE (Reed. 5.35 p.m.) BERNE, Aug. 28 The Swiss newspaper Gazette do Lausanne says the Gestapo yesterday arrested the former President of France', M. Albert Lebrnn, and the former French Ambassador to Italy, M, Francois Poncet.

M. Lebrun

M. Lebrun as President of the French Republic visited London with his wile in ]9."59. It was regarded at the time as an event of great political importance. Horn in IN7I, M. Lehnin had a brilliant scholastic career after which he became a mining engineer, lie entered the Chamber of Deputies in 1900 and played a prominent part as a statesman. He became President ol France in 19! if and remained in this post until the assumption of power by Retain in 1910. TRIALS FOR SABOTAGE NEW COURT IN FRAEMCE LONDON. Auk. 2!) Laval has told the Vichy Government of his plans to set up a special State Security Court to try Frenchmen accused of sabotage and terrorism. This will mean that Frenchmen arrested for sabotage will have to appear before a tribunal on the same lines as the Nazi Peoplo's Court and outside the ordinary law of the land.