ATTACK COMING ON WESTERN FRONT?

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 84, Issue 86, 13 April 1940, Page 7

ATTACK COMING ON WESTERN FRONT?

WARNING TO FRANCE OFFENSIVE MAY START NEXT WEEK DUTCH ALSO PREPARING I By Telegraph—Tress Association— Copyright) PARIS, April 11. The. military authorities have warned the French to be prepared for possible heavy fighting on the Western Front. ‘The events in Northern Europe should not lead us to forget the Western Front,” said a statement, ’preparations have been observed at various points which could indicate that an attack is coming.”’ The French official morning communique reports a quiet night on the Lorraine and Alsace front. Two enemy reconnaissance planes were brought down early to-day by French lighters. in preparation against a possible German offensive on the Western Front, all French Army leave has been suspended. Belgium has followed suit. Mi/itary sources have noted that it is clear that Germany is making preparations for an offensive. Considerable Germany activity is indicated along the 100-mile front between the Moselle and the Rhine, also on the Belgian,' Luxemburg and Dutch borders. Attack On Monday. The Daily Telegraph’s Paris correspondent states that the French General Staff believes that German preparations for an offensive are complete, and that the Germans will be ready to attack possibly on Monday. The enemy in the past 24 hours made three or four deep reconnaissances over northern and eastern France. The Dutch are also completing their military preparedness and a large detachment of troops has been moved to the German frontier. Fears of an infringement of Swedish neutrality are intensified by the possibility of a German demand of the right of passage for reinforcements for Norway. The Swedish Admiralty has issued a statement saying that her western ! waters have been mined for 75 miles. . Planes and troops are patrolling the : whole frontier. A partial evacuation , has begun at Gothenburg, outside I which anti-aircraft guns shot down l an unidentified plane. > Anxiety is also deepening in the Balkans. The Tinies’ Belgrade correspondent states that a German warning that she will ignore Rumanian sovereignty and will police the Danube is given in an official declaration to the Berlin correspondent of the Bulgarian newspaper Otro. German authorities and Rumanian official circles deny the ultimatum.