RHINE IN HIGH FLOOD FRENCH DEFENCE STILL SECURE

Southland Times, Issue 23954, 21 October 1939, Page 5

RHINE IN HIGH FLOOD

FRENCH DEFENCE STILL SECURE

Retiring Movement Carried Out PREARRANGED LINE OCCUPIED “BATTLEFRONT STABILIZED ON PLANNED LINES”

(United Press Assn—Telegraph Copyright) (Received October 20, 8.30 p.m.) PARIS, October 20. The Rhine is in high flood and torrential rain lias held up operations on the greater part o£ the Western Front. The Germans are working feverishly to check the rising waters.

The French defences are still secure. A communique confirms that the Germans launched an attack on October 16 at a point four miles east of the Moselle and 18 miles east of the Saar. French cavalry units, supported by infantry, remained to keep contact after the bulk of the divisions involved in the September offensive had withdrawn. They finally withdrew in accordance with orders. The' movement was successfully effected on the whole front at a depth amounting to six miles at certain points. The units involved took a stand on a prearranged line far in advance of the permanent fortifications. They suffered only slight loss. One detachment, consisting of an officer and 50 men, was outflanked and defended itself gallantly. The battlefront at present is stabilized on planned lines.

A communique issued by the German High Command announces that the first phase of the fighting on the Western Front ended with the withdrawal of the French over the frontier between the river Saar and the Hombachbitch road and that there is only local artillery and reconnaissance activity elsewhere. The statement claimed that Germany had lost ll aeroplanes on the Western Front since the beginning of the war, while France and Britain have lost 60 aeroplanes, including 12 British aeroplanes. The Germans, says the communique, took prisoner 25 French officers and 664 other ranks.

The communique gives German losses on the Western Front to October 17 as 196 dead, 356 wounded and 114 missing. It declares that since October 9 no serious fighting has occurred and generally minimizes the French successes in the occupation of German territory. It admits that Germans have not crossed the French frontier. The official French radio commentator declares that the German claims are highly exaggerated. “The German communiques seem to be inflamed with the spirit of victory,” he says. “They are wishful thinking in an attempt to influence neutral opinion.” 1 Heavy rain is impeding operations on the Western Front. The Rhine has flooded the Siegfried Line, where the German bank is two feet lower than the French bank. The clanking of pumps was heard throughout the night from the German fortifications. Water is licking the lower works of . the Maginot Line but the main casements are well clear.