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Cewk
THE CHINA MAIL, JULY 8, 1940
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B.E.F. IN BATTLE OF BULGE Striking Revelations In Answer To French Accusation
Weygand Plan Never Fully Matured
FRENCH CRITICISM that the B.E.F. failed to com- ply with General Weygand's plan towards the end of May, brought a defailed answer from a senior staff officer of the B.E.F, in London yesterday.
HIS STATEMENT reveals that there was a meeting
at Ypres on May 22 attended by King Leopold, | General Gort and General Billotte, commanding the First French Army, who was given power to co-ordinate the three armies.
Never Matured
General Billotte explained Gen.. eral Weygand's plan of a French attack from the south, in the Part of the Weygand Plan, that attack the French should attack to the Roye region, to join an from the north by the B.E.F. and north, never matured at all. the First French Army in the Even if Lord Gort had pro- neighbourhood of Douai and Va- ceeded with his part of the plan on May 26 and had achieved a lenciennes.
major SUCCESS
by reaching Cambral, there would have been
General Billotte was killed inj a motor accident the same night,i which did not facilitate
work of co-ordination.
Discussing the feasibility of the
FASCISM COMES
TO FRANCE
to an
According Angouleme despatch to the Havas agency, the Prefect of the de- partment of Charente has informed news agents that the death penalty will be carried out on all persons in- troducing or distribut- ing in the occupied zone of France news-
papers printed outside
the zone. Reuter.
CONGRESS PERSISTS IN DEMANDS
a gap from Ypres to the north the
without British troops at all. The British could nto have success of the Weygand Plan from joined hands with the French at the British viewpoint, the officer Cambrai because the French never explained what on May 19 the came and the British would have
FLEET AIR ARM RAIDS ITALIAN NAVAL BASE
AN R.A.F. COMMUNIQUE issued in Cairo yester- day says: “Aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm car- ried out a successful raid on Tobruk harbour on July 5 obtaining eight direct hits on ship- ping.
A subsequent reconnaissance raid disclosed two large ships aground on the southern shore of the harbour while an other was heavily down by the stern. One smaller ship was on its side and another ship appeared to be in dif- ficulties.
In the raid on Bardia announced
it
that forty, her is now, established
dropped landed in the middle of a large troop, concentration,
CHINA TO
One enginy bomber, and one WAIT THREE
fighter were
damaged while
transport personnel and tropps were heavily machinegunned.
A formation of our bombers
raided Zulu aerodrome, in' Italian
YEARS
East Africa, and attacked dispersa
(special' to “China Mall") "China, should allow
17.
herself
ed aircraft and a petrol tank, Di-two or three more years prepara- rect hits were registered on twotion before launching a counter- General Chen, Chene offensive," aircraft and two oil tanks wers writes in a special article pub set afire. Bombs also fell close lished in, Chungking on the oc to other aircraft. ⠀
casion or the anniversary of the outbreak of war,
"Those demanding immediate are too hasty
Hangars Hit
British right and rear were in a lost the 5th and 50th Divisions for THE WORKING COMMITTEE dangerous position, and the B.E.F. a certainty.
OF THE INDIAN CONGRESSA formation of aircraft of the counter-offensive
in judgment, for a general cotit- The officer mentioned that commenced to extemporise stops
only once during the retirement PARTY HAS ADOPTED A RE- Fleet Air Arm attacked Catania ter-attack will be an affair of with improvised forces at Lens,
SOLUTION. DEMANDING A Two hangars suffered direct hits more than a few months once it Bethune; Douai and Arras..
did the Germans make a fron: BRITISH DECLARATION GIV and four fires were started. These is started.Havas. tal attack at Ypres - and ING INDIA COMPLETE INDE- were clearly visible twenty miles "they were simply slaughtered." PENDENCE, ACCORDING TO A away.
Flank Defence
They had rifles, some machine- guns, a few anti-tank weapons and no artillery. Nevertheless they were thrown into battle and fought very gallantly.
French Army
Bombs were dropped on
REUTER MESSAGE FROM NEW aerodrome buildings and work- CHINA'S WAR DEAD
HONOURED shops. All our aircraft returned The vast majority of the work DELHI THIS MORNING.
As first step, Congress demands safely. of defending the flank, which was that Britain shall constitute a pro-
Meetings in honour of the war also the French flank, was done visional National Government.
In the raid on Malta on Satur- dead were held throughout China day it is believed one enemy air-to mark the third anniversary of by the B.E.F.
The resolution declares that if craft was shot down and another the war with Japan yesterday. "We kept waiting for news of the measures are adopted, Con- damaged. Four civilians
was were The day, which
declared an attack from the south but
gress will be able to throw its slightly i jured."-British Wire-"National Resistance Day," was tion and several days were taken nothing happened and we were full weight into the in trying to regain some cohesion could make a sortie, but relief of try's defence.
like a beleaguered garrison which effective organisation of the coun- They had suffered very heavily
the garrison must come from out- and had lost much equipment. side," concluded the officer.-Reu-'
At this time the French army on the British right were in a considerable state of disorganisa-
South of the French was the gap of 30 miles to the Somme and the situation there was very obscure.
On May 20 it
iter.
was decided that FASCISM
the only two British divisions in reserve would attack from Arras across the Scarpe.
Notwithstanding the fact that the French division on the left was-not ready for attack; Lora Gört décided the attack must prò-| Feed:
Heavy Losses ́
IN FRANCE
(Special to "China" Mall")"
It is possible France will adopt the single party system to elimin ate all internal friction, it is re- ported in Berne: Formation of
effort for
TYPHOON OFF FORMOSA CHANNEL
THE TYPHOON IS PROBABLY SITUATED IN THE FORMOSA CHANNEL MOVING WEST- NORTH-WEST TOWARDS THE COAST NEAR AMOY, REPORTS THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY.
The Pacific typhoon is siuated about 250 miles north-east of Yap, the new party moving west-north-west.
Pressure is highest and has in- It reached its first objective would follow the passage of the
over the south of Arras and inflicted heavy new Constitution which would creased considerably casualties on the Germans, taking give the Government sovereign Pacific to the east and south-east
authority-Havas: many prisoners:
Gorman motorised Infantry,
|| had already entered thờ2= g#p/
however, and for the next two] days they worked almost all round the British trõopæ
In the nick of time the British withdrew to Douai.
Thus on the day the Weygand Plan was elaborated the only: re- serve British troops were... one- cavalry regiment.
At that time, too, the muni- tion altuation was "not». töb rosy: Munitions: avaliablo", inļ
[of Japan.
R.A.F. CONTINUES RAIDS OVER GERMANY
France were 160 rounda per A BRITISH AIR MINISTRY communique... issued
#gan; and the British were "ahdrt|
of small arms munitions. Attempts to land- munitions by parachute were not very success-
ful.
Half Rations
The country's food supplies were shöft and the forces; weren but on half rations.
*
On
last evening stated that despite adverse wea ther R.AF. bombers have continued their acti vities in the past 24 hours.
.
Saturday, attacks were made on the landing ground at Knocke, aerodromes at Evreux and Ypenburg, on barges at Zwolle and in the Kat wijk.
By May 24 it was obvious that the Belgians were giving way, irid two British divisions had to d to the Belgian front immu- lately to prevent the arm of the Sincer going towards Dunkirk ing yards at Bremen and Kiel
One of our aircraft.'is missing. During the night the shipbuild-
Fuel Stocks Suffér
An offical Admiralty communi❤ que issued in London yesterday rid cutting off the British forces and an armanent depot at Emden stated: "German fuel stocks at
"When we saw Gènerál Bun'
Bergen suffered heavily when at dhard the following morning he were attacked.
and his staff were making plans Incendiary and high explosive tacked by aircraft of the Fleet for a withdrawal as fast as pos bombs were dropped at Bruns-Air Arm in the early hours of
|July 7, ible the only thing: hat could}
buttel:
Oil tanks and an oil tanker
do." Weygand's plant was admirable
od.
· Sexplana« ́ ́biser at. Nordeny were subjected to a series of on paper, but it came too late, and Hornum were also attack helivý dive bombing attacks. These were pressed hömë In spite fatly, because there were" too
iny Germans in the area; -nnd. From these night operations two of straftig, resistancé” bý", entiný Mondly, because before it coul of our aircraft failed to return. ground defences 1 brought off the British left. In numerous operations by the Wilen our aircraft withdrew the ink had gone and there were Comtal Command two of our air-oil tanks werd on fire and thë sufficient resources to dén craft engaged on escort duties greater part of the target area Both fanica adultaneously were" shot down by enemy fight- was obscured by, thick, blick bout vibut v cats the B.E.F. eraz Five: members of the crewalamuke from burning oll me rescued by British
our aircraft returned, vide
less.
declared a national holiday.
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