1940-06-10 — Page 9

Battle Now Raging Over Front Of 160 Miles GERMANS MOVE TOWARDS

ROUEN

PARIS, TO-DAY.

A FRENCH COMMUNIQUE ANNOUNCES THAT YESTERDAY MORNING THE ENEMY EXTENDED HIS FRONT OF ATTACK AS FAR AS THE ARGONNE WHILE CONTINUING HIS PREVIOUS OFFENSIVES. Diminishing his pressure on the Bresle, he pushed

his armoured units in the region of Forges-les-VIOLENT

Eaux and Ergueil towards the region of Rouen and the region of Gisors.

Some reconnaissance detachments reached the out- skirts of Rouen and Pont de Larche, where they vainly tried to cross the Seine. Further east, between Montdidier and Noyon, the enemy have been much less incisive than the previous evening.

It appears from numerous state- ments made by prisoners that In this region he suffered on Saturday afternoon a serious setback and considerable losses.

It was the same yesterday morning between the Oise, at Noyon, and the Aisne, at Soissons.

There is also one more of the enemy

armies that has been severely tried.

It was not till early yesterday

afternoon that he resumed his offen- sive after throwing in new divisions supported by fresh armoured units

FIGHTER PILOTS

FIGHTING IN CHAMPAGNE

Paris, To-day.

The Germans made their most violent attack yester-

DECORATED day in the Champagne sector

London, To-day. Gallantry displayed in fly- ing operations against the enemy is recognised in a list of awards now published, in- cluding the D.S.O. for Act- ing Flight-Lieutenant James Anthony Leathart who dur- At the end of the afternoon an at-ing May led his squadron on a large number of offensive patrols over northern France.

to the south of the Afane near Sois-

sons.

Champagne Attack

tack was also in progress in the re- gion of Pontavert.

In Champagne,

On one occasion an attack was made

Wo completely stemmed the attack which the enemy launched at dawn on the on a formation of 60 enemy aircraft. whole front stretching from Chateau In company with his squadron, Lea-. Porcion and the Argonne. The enemy was only able to cross the Aisne at two points where he was counter-attacked.

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•

To the north of Vouziers, a group of parachutists were dropped be- hind our lines. They are now sur- rounded. Despite their fatigue and numerical inferiority our troops continued fight with ardour and heroism.

Violent Reactions

•

to

ar-

on the east of the front, de- clared the military spokes- man last evening.

He added that according to the lastest information the French lines were still holding in this region be- tween noon and 2 p.m. despite in-

tense German pressure.

Bouth of Aumale and south

of

Montdidler, in the centre of the front, the Germans also launched

violent attacks. The French are

continuing their withdrawal east of Beauvais,

In the region of Soissons a series of extremely severe attacks and counter-attacks developed the sults of which are not yet known.

го-

thart shot down 15 Messerschmidts and possibly one Heinkel. III and one Junkers during the period, mentioned. German aviation delivered massive D.F.C.'s are awarded to Squadron-attacks on all lines of communication Leader George Campbell Tomlinson, in the region of Paris, the bombard- Flight-Lt. Adolph Oysbert Malah, ments being particularly severe in Flight-Lt. William Arthur Toyne, the region of Pontoise.-Reuter. Acting Flight-Lt. Robert Roland Stanford

Pliot Officer

kad Tuck, Laurence Allen.

John

The D.F.M. is awarded to Sergeant James William Bristol Phillips.

Fighter Squadrons Tomlinson's squadron destroyed 13 enemy aircraft and damaged a fur- ther nine in raids over Holland Brussels.

and

enemy

Continuing their action in the battle, our fighter and bomber air- craft opposed the thrusts of

despite moured formations

very violent reaction by enemy fighters and anti-aircraft guns.. Reconnaissances carried out yester- Tuck's squadron engaged day morning show that several co-formations of 60 and 50 aircraft, res- lumns were severely tried and left|pectively, over northern France and behind large quantities of material.— shot down. ten enemy aircraft and Reuter.

possibly another 24.-Reuter.

Situation Grave

London, To-day. EVACUATION

Latest information reaching London of the military position on the French front related to the situation as it had developed yesterday morning.

In appears that although the attack along the whole front from the sea to the Argonne was intense, specially violent onslaughts have been made south of Amiens and on the plateau south of Soissons.

OF LONDON CHILDREN

London, To-day.

The Government has decid- ed that the evacuation of London school-

In the Amlens sector the Intensity of the attack in spite of heavy losses Greater

inflicted on the enemy, caused the children who have registered withdrawal of the Allied lines to should begin on Thursday

warda the south of Breteull.

In the Soissons area the enemy is said to be using ten to fifteen divisions, 'and in the early morning developed a violent assault in the Tardenois dis- trict. This was preceded by a heavy bombardment.

On the remainder of the front the enemy does not seem to have made any real progress..

this week:

The movement, involving some 120,- 000 children, will take six days to complete, and in view of recent de- velopments and the commencement of enemy bombing of England, the Gov- ernment do not feel it right that the movement should be delayed any lon- ger.

The situation thus disclosed can None of the children will be taken only be regarded as grave and it is to the Eastern Counties. They will go said to be obvious the enemy is throw-west of London and the great ma- ing immense resources into the battle. jority will go to Cornwall, Devonshire, -British Wireless.

Somerset and Wales-Reuter.

J

CRITICAL DAY OF THE BATTLE

Paris, To-day.

"This is the critical day in the great battle for France," sald a French War. Office spokesman yesterday.

The enemy had thrown all his resources into the battle from the sea to the Argonne. The situation was not desperate but, at least, "very serious."

"But losses of land are not im-

We portant if wear down the enemy," he concluded.--Reuter.

R.A.F. CASUALTIES

London, To-day.

The Air Ministry has issued

a casualty list containing the names of 248 air force officers and men.

The list includes 23 killed in action,. 24 wounded in action, 150 missing, 26 killed or died on active service.

Nine officers and men previously reported missing are now stated to be prisoners.

Among the missing is Acting (Wing- Commander H. M. Mellow, who at one time was Air Equerry and assistant pilot to the Duke of Windsor when the latter was Prince of Wales.-Reuter.

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