STRONGER NAZI ATTACKS

Southland Times, Issue 23932, 26 September 1939, Page 7

STRONGER NAZI ATTACKS

FRENCH CONSOLIDATE GAINS “FORTRESS WARFARE” ON WESTERN FRONT (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) LONDON, September 24. The French admit that the German attacks on the Western Front are increasing in strength and are important, although they do not believe that the Nazi forces have yet been heavily augmented, says the Paris correspondent of the Associated Press of America. French penetration of the German territory has been halted to consolidate the Allied gains. The German divisions on this front are estimated to total 300,000 men, excluding motorized divisions. An official French statement says that numerous local attacks on advanced French positions in the region of the Saar north of Wissembourg were repulsed during the night. Military commentators in Paris compare the position of the German forces with that of troops besieged in a great fortress, with the French advancing steadily through and on to its outposts. German activity, in response, is in keeping with this comparison. _lt follows precisely the tactics which would be adopted by a besieged garrison with local sorties against the invaders. The German sorties, however, have not only failed to dislodge the French, but also, in several sectors, the Germans have been driven farther back. Particularly is this so in the Perl sector, where heavy artillery has been moved up by road to battle the Siegfried Line. The concrete, French experts believe, is weak, and is likely to suffer. The forts, however, are so scattered that prolonged effort will be necessary. EXPLOSION REPORTED IN SIEGFRIED LINE DAMAGE TO UNDERGROUND TUNNELS (Received September 25,10.30 p.m.) LONDON, September 25.-. An explosion occurred in underground tunnels in the Siegfried Line, near Minden, says a report from Brussels. The explosion caused extensive damage, holding up work on the line. The Paris correspondent of the Associated Press of America says the Polish Ambassador has ordered all Poles between the ages of 17 and 45, resident in France, to report by September 29 in.readiness for compulsory service in the Polish Army, which is being formed in France. . The Paris correspondent of the British United Press reports that 400,000 Poles are believed to be affected by the call—-ing-up order. BRITISH TROOPS MOVE UP TO LINES “EYE-WITNESS ACCOUNT” OF CONCENTRATIONS (Received September 25, 6.30 p.m.) RUGBY, September 24. According to an “eye-witness account” passed by the field censor and made available by the Ministry of Information, the British Expeditionary. Force in France is still in the stage of moving up to its positions and of concentrating its forces, preparatory to going into action, Along the roads between the coast and an area “somewhere in France” where the force is situated, army traffic moves along, in a procession that is practically continuous. The “eye-witness” reports most cordial relations between the British troops and the French people. “You English do not come as strangers, as in 1914, but like old friends,” said one landlady. The new battle dress of the British Army is the object of curious interest. Another statenient from the “eyewitness” now “somewhere in France” describes the vast preparations going steadily forward for the welfare of the British Expeditionary Force. The complicated mechanism of transferring an army as a going concern from' Britain to France is now thoroughly into its stride, and the admirable co-opera-tion of the French is reducing hitches to a minimum. The ramification of this huge organization is controlled from a series of modest-looking houses. The main headquarters is-in a handsome public building, where the local, authorities plan' to put up a tablet coinmemorating the fact, but for the moment it must be nameless.