MAJOR BATTLE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 September 1939, Page 7

MAJOR BATTLE

EXPECTED IMMINENTLY FATE OF THE CAPITAL AT STAKE. TROOPS PREPARING FOR LAST STAND. ‘WARSAW, September 6. A major battle for the capital is expected nouriy. iviacmne-guns can be heard chattering at the edge of the city. The Polish radio announced that the Germans were massed to the northwest for 22 miles from Cienchanow to Plonsk, This is likely to be the first decisive battle since the invasion. If the Poles are unable to hold here, the last stand hefave the capital will probably be at Novydwor, 15 miles to the north-west. APPEAL TO CITIZENS MUSTER WANTED TO DIG TRENCHES. (Received This Day. 9.20 a.m.) BUDAPEST, September G. The Polish radio interrupted a programme to appeal to citizens to report to the nearest police station with spades to dig trenches around Warsaw. It was declared that all man-power was needed.

GERMAN ADVANCE PROGRESS OF MOTORISED UNITS. ENEMY IN OVERWHELMING NUMBERS. (Received This Day, 9.20 a.m.) WARSAW, September 6. A communique states that the Ger mans have reached a point betweei Ponsk and Cheichanow, bringing thi advance ol their motorised units to ; point 35 miles northward of Warsaw. On the South-West, the Poles art holding overwhelming numbers o the enemy. There is sharp fighting in the WartaKamiensic region, south-west of Warsaw. The situation on the East Prussian front is uncnanged. GDYNIA STILL HELD NAZIS BOMBING OPEN TOWNS. ATTACKING COLUMNS OF REFUGEES. (Received This Day, 9.15 a.m.) WARSAW, September G. A communique states that the Poles continue to hold Gdynia and have captured a German antitank gun. Seventy German bombers raided Warsaw yesterday, dropping explosives and incendiary bombs, causing casualties. Anti-aircraft fire brought down eight machines. It adds that enemy aviators continued their aerial brutality, bombarding towns, railway stations and columns of refugees. Polish planes effectively bombed German tank columns near Cheichanow and Radomska. The communique repeats the claim that Berlin was bombed from the air. RAPID CHANGES REVIEWED BY LONDON “TIMES.” EVENTS IN THE CORRIDOR. LONDON, September 6. “The Times,” reviewing the rapid developments on the Polish front, points out that though the Corridor is cut it does not imply that the Poles farther north have been subdued nor that resistance east of the Vistula is slackening. No other result was possible because the Corridor is so narrow that the range of powerful artillery firing from either flank could almost span it. The open plains afforded no natural defensive positions. A Warsaw communique states that on the south-western front the enemy has been repelled. On the northern front overwhelming enemy forces, strongly supported by tanks, reached the line from Ciechanow to Plonsk. Enemy planes continue to harass the eqtire operations, 'bombi.nff towns, transport columns and infantry. Polish planes effectively bombarded armoured car detachments. It is announced that 30 planes participated in the raid on Berlin.