THE CHINA MAIL, OCTOBER 3, 1939
AIR ACTIVITY OVER THE SIEGFRIED LINE: R-A-F. LOSSES LESS THAN GERMAN
Paris, To-day.
MEN CALLED
BRITISH AND FRENCH 'planes continue to make
successful reconnaissance flights over the Sieg-UP TO fried Line and the Nazi lines of communication. BE SENT Yesterday, the French, taking advantage of the lull in heavy fighting, took the opportunity to re- move thousands of land-mines left by the re- treating Germans.
In an area 45 miles square, no less than 6,000 German land-mines were exploded. One shell alone exploded a string of mines 1,000 yards long- Reuter.
The aerial warfare is the most in- teresting feature of the operations on
NAZIS GET
WORST OF
the Western Front, where there is a AIR BATTLE
momentary lull in the French tactics of "nibbling" at the German defences, AIR RECONNAISSANCE Repeated successful reconnaissance by units. of the Royal Air Force in co-operation with French airmen is belleved to be regarded as highly annoying by the German High Com-
mand.
Official communiques have been most laconio, but it may now be said that the British losses, have been extremely low in proportion to the number of aircraft engaged and has been
surpassed by the German loanea incurred in the same operations.
Allied planes have been action against the enemy German lines.
dally in over the
The Germans are doing their utmost to prevent reconnaissance flights and German fighters have showed increas- ed activity in the past three or four days.
GERMAN TROOP MOVEMENTS Apart from the invaluable photo- graphic evidence of the German post- tions, Allied airmen are bringing
OVERSEAS
London, To-day.
It is authoritatively stated that the men called up under
Page
CHURCHES IN REICH TO CELEBRATE "VICTORY"
London, To-day. All churches in Germany have been Instructed to ring their . bells for an hour at noon for seven days in succession, in còn- nexion with the entry of Gar- man troops Into Warsaw, sayo the Nazi news agency.
Churches will at one and the same time be ringing for victory and tolling for the fallen, adda the agency.-Router.
Sunday's proclamation will, FULL STORY
after training, be sent as re-
inforcements to units over- OF R.A.F.
seas.
It must not be forgotten that the Army has considerably expanded ear- lier this year, and thus it is neither need ul nor desirable to post un- An aerial battle over Ger-trated men direct to units.
man
London, To-day.
Apart from militia provisions, the Territorial Array was doubled in the
territory between French and German ma-
Spring, and men called up will be chines is described briefly in used to keep up the strength of this messages from Paris.
Three French and five planes were shot down.
German
It is stated that two French
08-
great army already. in existence.
It is anticipated that the group just
called will be sufficient for service needs until the New Year, when the chines were on a reconnaissance ght, next group 21 to 23 will probably be
required. escorted by nine fighter machines,
Further Army expansion i not at when they were attacked by 15 Ger-
present contemplated but should the man fighters.
necessity arise supplementary divi- A long battle ensued, but eight
sions could quickly be formed.-Bri- French machines returned with valu-
tish Wireless. able photographs of the German posi- tions.-Reuter.
DEATH OF CARDINAL MUNDELEIN
back news obtained from observations | EV made far-in the rear of the German main defences. This information verified and amplified reports receiv-
NEW YORK, T )-DAY. CARDINAL MUNDELEIN, ARCH-
JAPANESE FLIGHT TO HONG KONG CANCELLED
ed by the French High Command that BISHOP OF CHICAGO, DIED YES- some of the German forces engaged TERDAY AT THE AGE OF 87.
The "China Mail" learns in Poland had been brought as far
Cardinal Mundelein came Into west as Central Germany.
world prominence in 1937, when in a that the proposed flight from Some of these troops are not more speech at the quarterly Diocesan Con-Japan to Hong Kong and re- than 120 miles from the Siegfried ference at Chicago, he described Hit- turn, under the auspices of Line so that they could be brought ler as "that Austrian paper-hanger into. the front line within two or and a poor one at that," and denoun- the "Asahi Shimbun;" has three days. Reuter.
ced Nazi oppression against the Catho- been cricelled. GERMAN ATTACKS REPULSED lic Church.
París, To-day.
This speech resulted in a protest by
The Capany's two planes, the Divine Wind and the Morning Wind,
A communique says that enemy the German Ambassador at Washing-are both in Taihoku, Formosa. local attacks were repulsed south of ton.--Reuter. Saarlouis and in the region east of
the Saar.
In the latter region there was enemy artillery fire on certain German loca- lities behind our line.-Reuter.
MORE MEN LIKELY TO BE CALLED TO COLOURS
It is
London, To-day.
BÀI CHUNG HSI AT CHANGSHA
SHANGHAI, TO-DAY. IT IS REPORTED THAT GENER- AL PAI CHUNG-HSI AND GENER- AL CHEN CHENG ARE AT THE CHANGSHA FRONT.
The railroads north and south of Changsha have been destroyed by the Chinese.
The Japanese object of occupying Changsha will most probably be achieved but at a great sacrifice of
morenounced that no troops.-Our Own Correspondent.
are likely to be
called up for national ser- NAZI TROOPS
vice before the New Year, after those called up by Sun- day's Royal Proclamation have been registered.
After the 20-23-years of age classes, those up to the age of 23 will be call- ed up, and so on.
In each group, about 200,000 men will be available.
ENTER WARSAW
Berlin, To-day.
A communique emphasises that the first German troops entered Warsaw without incident."
The Morning Wind, with a crew of two, left Osaka at 9.40 a.m. on Fri- day and arrived in Taihoku a few hours later. For reasons unknown the planned flight was not continued the following morning according to schedule.
#
The Divine Wind, which, made record flight from Japan to London in 1937 was then sent out to take. the place of the Morning Wind and arrived in Taihoku at 2.33′ pm. on Saturday. The following morning this machine, for reasons also, did not take off for Hong Kong.
FOOD
unknown
RATIONING GUESSWORK
BATTLE EPIC
London, To-day.
The full account of the battle between five Royal Air Force machines and 15 Nazi craft on Sunday is released by the Air Ministry.
The five British machines were on
Three reconnaissance duty.
were shot down and another was forced to land, but the fifth machine carried out its reconnaissance and returned suc- cessfully,
over
As the R.A.F. machines 'flew the Siegfried Linë at, a height of over | 20,000 feet, 9 Nazi machines approach- ed from dead ahead and other 6 came
- ་ ་ . up from the right.
The British formation flew on.
The Germans broke formation and proceeded to, concentrate their fire on each machine in turn, wheeling, diving under it and coming up under the tall.
The battle lasted for 35 minutes, 'during which three British machines were shot down and a fourth forced to land, Of the 12 members of their crews, 8 escaped by parachute.
CARRIES ON
Only the squadron leader was left,
but he carried on and finished his job. While he dodged and side-slipped, he carried out his reconnaissance, and his gunner kept up a steady fire. The leading German machine was hit and crashed in flames. A second, with smoke pouring out of it, went down into a spin,
The remaining 13 Nazis gave up the pursuit.
By this time, the R.A.F. plane was in a sorry plight. The con- trols and ruddar wore damaged, both petrol tanks had holes In them, there were scores of bullet holes in the fuselage and the in- strument board was partly shot away.
ENGINE ON FIRE
As it crossed over the Allied Line, the engine caught fire and' a forced landing..was
the necessary, despite fact that half the retractable landing- gear was jammed and the other tyre had been shot away.
***
When the plane crashed, the navi- gator was flung out with his clothes on fire. Despite this, he rescued the gunner, who was jammed in his cock- pit. The squadron leader, who was London, To-day.
an Irishman from Cork, was flung Following some speculation in the clear, but though dazed was not ser- newspapers on the scales of the ration-iously hurt.
ing of food, the Food Ministry an As the navigator was being taken nounces that any flatements appear-off to hospital, he said:
ing in the press giving forecasts of the "Old Hitler has given me a bit of a amount of rations are entirely un-headache, but that's nothing to what
we will give him!"--Reuter. authorised and of no value.
No official statement has yet been lasued to the press and none is yet available, *****
Adequate notice of the date of in- troduction of rationing with full parti-
It is not intended to impose liability It is stated that 4,000, men, com- for military service on those underprising, the Hela garrison. Including 20 years of age for the moment and, Admiral Unruh, chief of the Polish in any event, not for a long time, Navy, were to lay down, their arms|culars will be given. Reuter.
yesterday. Reuter,
Broadcasting on
"Food" Minister stated that, the object et rationing was to secure equal divi- [sion and that there would be "a full
mensure but not overflowing.”* ber 29, the | British Wireless,