GERMANS HURL IN ENTIRE WEIGHT
(Continued from Page 1). petrol supplies in Holland were de- stroyed before the surrender-Reu- ter.
Attacks At Dawn
A French military spokesman said that the Germans had resumed their attacks at dawn yesterday, in three main directions:-
1. Against positions held by British troops in Central Belgium, notably at Louvain;
2. Into the large salient driven into France north of Sedan; and
3. At Sedan itself and to the south of it.
For the immediate present, the most serious was the second. This was between the Sambre and Rethel, south-west which is about 25 miles of Sedan and about the same dis- tance north-east of Rheims.
The French communique yester- day morning indicated that the Nazi salient here is a line some 50 miles long along the frontler and Ex- tends anything up to 30 miles into France.
The French military spokesman said that this was an important sallent.
Curtaining Salient
The first thing to do was to run a ring round the salient and curtain it by sending units to take up posi- tions to stop further advances. Then, one must make up one's mind whe- ther to counter-attack here, or at- tack elsewhere.
The losses the enemy must have suffered during the last few days can- not possibly be estimated, but there is every reason to believe that they must have been heavy.
Desperate Gamble
The whole operation seems to have which been a desperate gamble, in
Nazis · are flinging all their the
of strength into the fray, regardless
losses.
Some quarters compare the battle of the Meuse with that of Verdun in the last war. The 'battle at Ver- dun lasted a considerable time, and, they say, the present battle may go on for days or even weeks, with varying fortunes to either side.
South of Sedan, where there is no comparable break-through, the Ger- mans yesterday resumed the heavy attacks of the night and the day be-
fore.
were
A French military spokesman, in- dicating the fierceness of the fighting, said that woods and villages taken and re-taken during the day, some of them changing' hands and six times.Reuter.
five
Belgian Communique` ̧
Brussels, To-day. Last night's Belgian war communi- que stated: "Our troops methodically carried out movements foreseen the plan of operation.
by
"During yesterday afternoon a re- giment of light infantry which was "That is a job for the High Com-participating in the defence of the mand," he said.
canal distinguished itself by repulsing with heavy losses German units which attempted to cross by foot-bridge.”— Reuter.
He indicated that good progress had been made towards curtaining the enemy's advance positions. Nothing is yet know about yester- day morning's attacks. It is reported reliably, however, that the Germans again used massed tanks, with bomb- ing 'planes in close support.
COURSE
Hard Engagements
London, To-day.
Command
A Belgian High
ECUADOR PANAMAS
FOR MEN
com-
THE CHINA MAIL, MAY 18, 1940.
NATURAL BER
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Wear Crookes and, know what real:aya-comfort means.
munique yesterday stated that, in connection with the operations un- dertaken by the Allied forces and in close co-operation with Allied troops, Belgian troops had taken up new positions with calm and in good or- der.
Despite the many hard engagements in which many units have taken part. since the invasion began, the com- munique continues, the Belgian Army remains intact and retains morale.
its high
Little is yet known of the attacks in this sector, but Paris reports in- dicate that fighting is proceeding in the vicinity of Louvain and Malines.
-Reuter.
** Malines is roughly half-way be- tween Louvain and Antwerp.
com-
In New Positions
London, To-day. A Belgian High Command munique issued at noon yesterday says: In connection with operations undertaken by the Allied forces and in close co-operation with Allied troops, Belgian troops have taken up new positions with calm and in good order.
"Despite many hard engagements, in which many units were taken pri- soner, since hostilities began our army remains intact and retains its high morale. Reuter.
Violent Attack
Paris; To-day.
have It is learned the Germans launched a very violent attack north- west of Rethel, at the base of the pocket formed by their thrust into French territory.
was
The Nazis have also launched two other attacks neither of which pushed to any
depth-one against the Dyle line east of Brussels which is held by the British, and the other south of Sedan.
Details of the attacks have not yet been received.-Reuter.
Berlin, To-day.
The official German News Agency states that German troops, advancing
FINE PLAITED AS THEY ARE from the north, have pushed up to the
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The agency also states that follow- ing a comprehensive attack, Louvain fell yesterday.-Reuter.
COMPLETE CONFIDENCE
London, To-day.
The present position of the battle line in France is re- garded by authoritative quar- ters as very serious but latest reports indicate it is better than the two previous days and the situation is viewed with complete con- fidence.
Latest reports prove beyond ques- tion that man for man and machine for machine. our air forces have shown themselves infinitely superior to the enemy,
French quarters compare the Bat- tle of the Meuse with the Battle of Verdun in the last war which raged for a long time.
Quick results are not expected. Reuter...
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*
An order is gazetted to-day, on "the authority of the Governor-in- Council prohibiting the Importation of cargo from Canton by steam- er or motor vessel, until further- notice..
Stockholm, To-day.
"There are thousands of Ger- man soldiers in Norway but it is reported from various quarters that no soldier comes by sea," of says the Oslo correspondent the "Oestgoeten."
The correspondent says the Bri- tish minefield is extremely effec- tive and the same transport ships leave Oslo and return with the same troops.
On Friday morning, aircraft in hundreds left for Germany and during the day warships left in an attempt to break through the Bri- tish minefleld.
A Norwegian engineer told the correspondent the general opinion in naval circles was that the Bri- tish had won the Norwegian war.
It was Britain's intention to destroy the German fleet and this was successful with the help of the Norwegians. Over half the
· German fleet was sunk and the wreck of the Emden in Oslo har- bour was an example of the Bri- tish triumph.
German minesweepers in Oslo and elsewhere have little chance to sweep the large stable mine- field laid by, the British‚ ̈ ̈ ̈
It is the general opinion in Oslo that the present war demonstrat- ed the truth of the saying “Eng- land loses all the battles except the last which is won by the rulers of the seas."
In view of the fact that the Em- den was sunk it is interesting to note that a warship with the name Emden in Oslo harbour is a large destroyer on which the name has been painted in order to coun- ter reports of her sinking-Reu- ter.
London, To-day.
A War Office communique states that during the night of May 16/17 certain adjustments of the front having become necessary, the B.E.F. was withdrawn to post- tions west of Brussels.
This adjustment was carried out without interference. There was no question of any collapse or break through this sector, as sug- gested by the German communi- que, Reuter.
London, To-day, The King last... evening visited the War Office where he received the latest Information in regard to the situation' on the western front.
Later, His Majesty at a Privy Council meeting at Buckingham Palace approved an Order-in- Council dealing with the establish- ment of the anti-parachute troops corps and later received the Pre- mier, Mr. Churchill, Reuter.
yesterday afternoon,
the West is being awaited with quiet; confidence in well-informed circlès-
The outcome of the 'opération, t
here.
Fighting Very Hard
Paris, To-day. "The fighting throughout the day has been very hard,” declared the spokesman of the comment was Their the Ministry of Information more than amorcio
Printed and P
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