FRENCH GUERRILLAS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 63, 17 March 1943, Page 5

FRENCH GUERRILLAS

ACTION AGAINST GERMANS MUNITION AND FOOD SUPPLIES FROM ALLIED PLANES Recd. 6 p.m. "London, March 15. The mountainous Thonan district, south of Lake Geneva, where peasant holdings are packed between patches of heavy forest, has become a focal point of French resistance against the Germans and the Vichy collaborators. A Vichy ultimatum to the Thonan guerrillas, demanding their surrender, expires to-night, but sporadic fighting is already reported between the guerrillas and Vichy guards mobile under German officers.

Swiss reports state that intermittent firing was heard south of Lake Geneva. Another report states that the Germans bombed tHfe guerrillas in their mountain hide-outs, but that three bombers were shot down by the guerrillas, who have anti-aircraft guns and machine-guns. The Daily Telegraph's Zurich correspondent says that 1000 guards have been drafted to Thonan, a town whose normal population is 8000. A Vichy force has established headquarters at Evian and is patrolling the whole neighbourhood with the object of cutting off the partisans' food supplies, but this is not likely to be effective, because the population sympathises with the partisans. Most reports agree that the guards mobile are also sympathetic and it is impossible to foretell what may happen if they are faced with the prospect of heavy fighting against their own countrymen. The partisan headquarters are in the mountains near Shamonix, where there are secret radios, while messengers are using little-known mountain paths, besides sometimes openly cycling from village to village to distribute instructions.

Many went to Thonan from distant parts of France in the hope of entering Switzerland. When they found this was impossible they joined the guerrillas. The newspaper La Suisse says that the partisans are many thousands strong and are always increasing. Allied planes have nightly dropped arms, munitions and food since March 8.

Algiers radio, broadcasting to the guerrillas, said: “It will not be long now. the hour of deliverance is at hand.”

Recd. 1 a.m. London, March 16. The Thonon guerrillas, reported to be commanded by British and French officers, rejected a German ultimatum demanding surrender by 5 p.m yesterday, says the British United Press correspondent at Zurich.

Another report states that units of the regular Italian Army are attacking the guerrillas.