THE CHINA MAIL, JUNE 1, 1940.
German Dream Of Smashing Victory Foiled STREAM OF TROOPS CROSSING FROM STILL
DUNKIRK
London, To-day.
THE GERMAN DREAM of smashing the British Ex- peditionary Force has been foiled. Under the guns of the Allied navies and the wings of the Allied air forces, the withdrawal of British, French and Belgian troops from Flanders still continues, while the rearguard troops are hold- ing off the Germans in fighting which is official- ly described as being "as bitter as ever. It cannot yet be revealed how many troops have safe- ly arrived in England, but the number is said to be very large.
"
AMERICANS
LEAVING ITALY
Washington, To-day.
The State Department, dis- closes that there is a général exo- dus of Americans from the Medi- terranean area.
It is stated the liner Washing- ton, which is evacuating Ameri- cans from Bordeaux and Lisbon, is may call at Genoa. if there further accommodation.
The liner Manhattan is leaving Genoa to-day for the States fill- ed to capacity.-Reuter.
An observer in a South Coast port describes how he
watched the arrival of the troops back in Eng- FEATS OF land. Ships of all kinds are going to and fro
across the Channel despite bombing attacks and AUXILIARY regardless of peril.
He saw two warships come into crumpled or riddled. port, one listing heavily to port under the load of men on her decks. few minutes she was alongside and the gangplank was down.
Transport officers counted the men,
in the
SQUADRON
London, To-day.
Men, women and children In a town thrust into their hands mugs of tea, cigarettes, cakes, and other food
Among the R.A.F. units and smokes. The supply of food ran out and boys with barrows hurried to distinguishing itself on the other parts of the town, returning war front is an Auxiliary shortly with more food.
Squadron whose pilots learn- mination to have another go at the ed to fly during week-ends.
but there was no question of units or of regiments, or even of nationality, for French and Belgian troops were among them.
All were tired, some completely exhausted, but it was amazing how every man kept reasonably cheerful and mustered up a smile. Even when too fatigued to smile, a glint in the eye showed a spirit that was Irre- pressible.
Grinned For Camera One man, his head swathed in ban- dages and his left arm in a sling, was helped down by a comrade whose uni- form was in tatters. As he came ashore, he grinned for a news photographer and asked what paper his photograph would be in.
Another man limped badly, because his boots had not been off his feet for five days. A ukelele dangled from the haversack on his back.
As he got into the train, he cheer- fully asked the Sergeant for "a seat facing the engine!"
The organization at the port was excellent. Ships unloaded quickly and then departed for France once more.
A Shambles
The observer went on board a war- ship whose captain was an old friend. Last time he saw her she was as spic and spán as any ship of the Navy, but this time was very different. The cap- tain was hollow-eyed for lack of sleep. Day and night he had been going back and forth, dodging bombs en route.
His cabin, once cosy and comfort- able, was a shambles, for there was no time to keep it tidy, no time for anything but to get the men out of Dunkirk..
All the men spoke of their deter-
Nazis.
One Sapper described how he and his comrades tackled German tanks, although they only had revolvers, They jumped on the sides of the tanks and when the tank-crews saw the re- volvers come through the eye-slits, they shouted "Kamerad" and surren- dered.
There was no time to take prisoners and so they left the crews with their tanks, which were dismantled.
Fifth Columnists
The BEF also had to deal with "Fifth Columnists,"
and who fired sniped at them. Many of them were in Allied uniforms.
A Belgian officer who arrived in England had been ordered to hand over his revolver. He refused.
"We are going to fight on, and hundreds of Belgian soldiers are of the same opinion,” he said. The returned troops passed through London yesterday in a steady stream.
Up to the time of the German in- vasion of the Low Countries, they had only received the usual training, but since then they have brought down 45 enemy 'planes, with several more "possibles."
Most of the pilots come from the West of England, but one is from New Brunswick, Canada, and another is a famous young British Davis Cup player. Each have brought down at least one 'plane. Reuter.
COMING IN THOUSANDS
London, To-day.
The B.E.F. was last night still coming home, in count- less thousands, hungry and tired but smiling, having been carried across the Chan- nel by craft of every descrip- tion to be given a rousing welcome by crowds lining the beaches and cliff-tops on the south-east coast of England.
as
Members of the women's voluntary services worked eight-hour shifts handing supplies of food, tea and cigarettes to the soldiers
they marched from the port to the railway station.
also A number of wounded were landed, including some stretcher
cases,
4
stories More grim
of fighting against heavy odds were told by the
homecoming heroes.
One said the troops who cm- barked at Dunkirk early yesterday were subjected to heavy shell-fire from long range German guns, and some were hit, but the British and French navies were in full command at the port though little remained of the town, which had been bomb ed and shelled continuously and fires were raging in many parts.
Mass attacks by 200 German planes were described by other troops, who said the R.A.F. and anti-aircraft gun- ners took heavy toll of the raiders.- Reuter.
BOMBING
INTENSE
OF GERMAN POSITIONS
London, To-day.
Many are going on to a refit and short THE AIR MINISTRY ANNOUNCE that throughout
leave. Reuter.
SINKING OF CURLEW
LONDON. TO-DAY. THE ADMIRALTY ANNOUNCES THAT H.M.S, CURLEW, AN ANTI- AIRCRAFT CRUISER. HAS BEEN SUNK AS A RESULT OF A BOMB- ING ATTACK SOME · DAYS AGO Extra bunks had been fitted in the OFF THE NORTHERN COAST OF ship and these and his own
bed NORWAY. FOUR OFFICERS AND were blood-stained, for in them FIVE RATINGS LOST THEIR LIVES were placed the more seriously wounded.
At the station, the observer walked up the platform. The train was full of soldlers and silent. Every man was fast asleep.-
All along the way, the people of England stood at the level crossings, waving to the men.
Uniforms In Rags
Another observer reported that "every man still had his rifle, although uniforms were often in rags and some were in blankets. Steel helmets were
A vessel of 4,300 tons, Curlew was built during the last war. She was' recently converted for anti-aircraft work, and was in the successful opera- at Narvik She. bombarded tions enemy positions on land and protect-- ed convoys and occupied coastal post- Hons.
Many German planes were destroy- ed during the incessant bombing at.. tacks Reuter.
London, To-day. § About 400 survivors of the cruiser Curlew arrived at a port in the north of Scotland from Norway yesterday.
Reuter.
on the
Thursday and Thursday night relays of R.A.F. bombers maintained their pressure enemy's lines of communication.
Bridges, tanks, motorised columns and troops were subjected to intense bombing attacks which fa- cilitated the withdrawal operations of the Allied armies; one of our aircraft is missing. Bombing operations have been con- tinued with great intensity throughout the day.
Formations of our fighters maintain- ed offensive patrols over the Dunkirk area on Thursday.
Weather conditions were unfavour- able and there was a marked decrease in enemy air activity.
CANTONESE WOMAN
SHOT DEAD
Shanghai, To-day.
A Cantonese woman was shot dead in her bedroom in the French Con- cession at 9.30. a.m. yesterday.
One Dornier bomber was shot down. Yesterday the fighter patrola con.. tinued. Reports so far received
She is said to be Miss Wang Po- show our fighters destroyed 12 pin, niece of the late Mr. Tseng enemy alroraft and damaged, thres | Chung-min, Wang Ching-wel's form- others.
er right-hand man, who was "á5508- sinated in French Indo-China.
Apart from these activities over the Flanders battle, aren, to which the main effort of, the R.A.F. were direct- ed, our heavy bombers on Thursday night carried out offensive operations against military objectives in north west Germany. Reuter
The police are investigating a re- port that after the shot was heard two foreigners were seen leaving the
* Owns woman's room— pondent