THE CHINA MAIL, MAY 24, 1940.
Heavy Fighting In Cambrai-Douai Sector GERMAN FORCES ENTER BOULOGNE
(SPECIAL TO "CCHINA (MAIL")
PARIS, TO-DAY. IN SPITE OF THE DISTURBING OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT THAT GERMAN RAIDING FORCES, COMPOSED OF MOTOR-CYCLE DETACHMENTS, SUPPORTED BY A NUMBER OF ARMOURED VEHICLES, HAVE ENTERED BOULOGNE, THERE IS NO INCLINATION TO TAKE A GLOOMY VIEW OF THE MILITARY SITUATION.
Semi-official quarters state that compared with Wednesday, the position has not changed materially, and the fact that advance elements
are causing havoc among communications be- hind the Allied defence positions, does not modify this view.
MR.
CHURCHILL TELLS THE NEWS
It is offset by the success of the Allied counter- attacks on the main centre of hostilities, the
London, To-day. Cambrai-Douai-Arras triangle, where simul-
The Prime Minister, Mr. taneous attacks have been launched by the Winston Churchill, announc- B.E.F. from the north and the French from the ed in the House of Commons south.
yesterday that German The German forces have given ground along a front armoured forces had pene- of 20 miles, and the Allied counter-attacks have trated into the rear of the not yet fully developed.
1.
Official circles do not under-esti- as follows.- mate the value of the German infiltra- In the north,
a powerful Allied tion tactics, or their success, but state force holds a solid, continuous and or that the Allied troops are becoming❘ganised front from north of Bapaume, adapted to the new method of war along the Scheldt to Valenciennes, fare.
starting at Cambrai and extending to It is argued that the units which Arras and the region south of Arras passed through the Amiens-Bapaume-Reuter. gar to occupy Abbeville and other coastal points will sooner or later be destroyed, just as were the Uhlans when they made their dashes in 1914.
Nazis Sober Up
Artillery Duels
London, To-day. The German break through the French lines is between Arras and Bapaume, the latter city being about 15 miles due south of Arras. British It is notable that the German off-troops are still holding their positions
around Arras. cial statements have become more sober, although this is hard to believe Judging by the German reports in the Italian Press.
D.N.B., however, in a semi-official report for internal consumption, stat- ed that the main armies had not yet come to grips and that the German army still has a 'diffcult task ahead of it.
Meanwhile, there has been in- creased liveliness along the line of the Somme.
Allied Pressure
Allied pressure in the Cambrai Douai. battlefield is steadily increasing and early reports of progress are en- couraging.
It is early yet to say what the re sult of the fighting will be but there is no doubt that, for the moment, the great thrust of the main German army, apart from the small highly mobile raiding groups, has been checked at all points. Havas.
Germans Thrust Back
Paris, To-day.
In connection with the Allied counter-attacks "yesterday," [t" "lo" pointed out in London that so far no counter-attack on a large scale has been launched. One is expect ed at any time now.
duels between Rethel and Montmedy There have been intense artillery and between Montmedy and the River Nied sector. Reuter.
•
1,000 Nazi Planes Destroyed
Paris, To-day.
A French military spokesman states that no less than 1,000 German 'planes have been brought down since May 10 over French soil alone.-Reuter,
French Communique
Paris, To-day.
A French communique says "many encounters took place at different points in the northern region. Our advanced elements reached the out- skirts of Amiens. Reuter.
MAXIMUM EFFORT
London, To-day. Mr. Fred Smith, secretary of the The German troops which earlier Amalgamated Engineering Unions, ex- yesterday were reported to have-oross--presses the Trade Union view when he ed the Scheldt. near Aunenarde, in says, apropos the new emergency re- Belgium, were thrust. back shortly gulation:
after report, ding to semi-official
Belgian
received last night.
According to military sources a Ger! man Infantry attack was launched at about 4 p.m. at Attigny, between Se dan. and Rethel. Result of the attack is not yet known.
,
Violent fighting occurred through- out the day in the region of Valen. ciennes, Cambrai and Arras, Numerous engagements, resulting apparently from French initiative, also occurred on the Somme.
The position " yesterday afternoon, according to Paris military circles, was
"If it is designed to get the maxi- mum effort out of everybody, I am whole-heartedly in favour of it." Reuter.
STATEMENTS ON WAR
London, To-day. Statements on the war and the pre- sent political situation in India sim- ilar to those made in the Commons were given by Lord Caldecote and the Duke of Devonshire, Under-Secretary for Indin, in the House of Lords yes- terday -Reuter.
萨
Allied armies in Belgium and were attempting to derange communications.
Abbeville was now in enemy hands and heavy fighting was proceeding in and around Boulogne.
This coastal Righting evidently oarried with it implications of a serious character, he said.
General Weygand was conducting operations involving all the Allied armies with a view to restoring and reconstituting their combined front.
Reuter.
EX-KAISER
NOW IN POTSDAM
Madrid, To-day. German circles here declare the ex-Kaiser has arrived at Potsdam where he is said to be re- ceiving every attention.
Reuter.
JAPAN AND ITALY
Rome, To-day.
The head of the Japanese goodwill mission to Italy yes- terday handed Mussolinia message from Admiral Yonai, the Japanese Premier, stat- ing:-
"In this grave hour for Europe the Japanese nation recalls with the deepest sympathy the friendship and noble efforts of Fascist Italy in the interests of international justice.
"Japan wishes these efforts com- plete success."
The message added the co-opera- tion of the two countries constituted a "magnificent light in the darkness of world disorder."-Reuter.
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