ALPINE FRONTIER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24334, 26 June 1940, Page 7

ALPINE FRONTIER

ITALIAN OFFENSIVE FRENCH OUTNUMBERED LONDON, June 24. The correspondent of the Associated Press on the Swiss frontier sayS Italian land and air forces, outnumbering the French by five to one, to-day launched their first big offensive across the Alpine passes against France’s weakened army, while the Germans attacked the French in the rear 50 miles below. German tanks and armoured cars are reported to have entered Aix-les-Bains. After copturing Bellegrade yesterday, the German forces demanded the surrender of the Delecluse garrison, comprising 1000 men, of whom many were Foreign Legionaries, including German antiNazis. The garrison commander replied: “ Come and get us! ” An Italian war communique states: “ Italy launched an offensive along the Alpine front from Mont Blanc to the French Riviera, starting on Friday and still continuing. Despite strong enemy resistance, the Italian troops pushed forward with considerable success, and occupied Fort Chentaillet, Briancon and Razet. Units also reached the valley of the Isere, penetrating the fortified systems and endangering the entire enemy front. Italian troops are advancing on the entire front and also on the low part of the Tyrhennean Sea. An Italian torpedo boat sank an enemy submarine. The Italians bombarded enemy bases at Masra. Matruh and Sidberrani in North Africa, while in East Africa we bombarded the air base at Djibuti and Berbers and enemy troop concentrations in Kenya. Enemy planes bombed Palermo, in Sicily, without damaging military objectives. Twenty-five were killed and 153 wounded. One enemy plane was shot down.” Last French Communique What is described as the last communique from French General Headquarters stated that slight progress was made by the enemy in Charantes, where he has occupied Angouleme. and in the east in the Rhone Valley, where he has occupied Aix-les-Bains. In the Alps, Italian attacks continued all day. but were held up in the vicinity of the frontier by our advance posts, except in (he Mentone area, which was occupied by the enemy. Our positions of resistance. howeve r . remain intact on the whole Alps front, A message from Bordeaux says that General Duval, in an article in Le Jour, said; “ The Fifth Column beat France. The Germans did not defeat us. but agents of (reason sent to France.” The British military attache in Buenos Aires, Colonel R. E. M. Russell, in a statement, said Marshal Petain’s allegations that the British effort was insufficient was “erroneous.” He said England sent to France 12 divisions, not 10. Marshal Petain forgot the importance of the services of the British fleet and aviation to protect communications and food channels.