1941-06-24 — Page 40

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THE CHINA MAIL, JUNE 24, 1941.

"GERMAN" ARMY DEFEATED IN WILTS

LIKE SO MANY military exercises nowadays, that which I have just seen represented a German invasion and the measures taken to repel it. But, again like the majority of exercises which are being carried out at present, this had a special purpose, in addition to the general purpose of setting the whole of some complicated machinery in motion. It was to test a motorised division and an armoured division, both stationed a considerable distance in- land and in G.H.Q. reserve.

Inevitably, for the sake of crops, both the hostile and the British forces had to be shepherded by strict control on the part of the Army Comman- der into areas in which it was desired by him that they should fight their battles; and that of the tanks was in this case equally inevitably.Salisbury Plain.

division

the

Yet the development

the of

Infantry. The Panzer

and advanced operations was perfectly credible, disregarded it and involved no loss of realism, straight inland. Moreover, though the divisions Meanwhile G.H.Q. was being had their roles luid down for asked "pestered" might almost them and were instructed to be the word to hand over advance or retire to certain lines armoured division to meet the at certain hours, they knew no-

new Panzer threat. But G.H.Q. thing of these moves till the or had their own anxieties in other dery reached them. And they areas.

They replied in effect:-- reported the progress of the battle "You may concert plans with it, as news to their corps head-

but you must not touch it till quarters, so that the system of you're told to," and not till 7 control and intelligence (Including a.m. on the third day of the even the interrogation of prison-exercises was it released. I had ers) could be practised. And

already heard the Army Com- though certain of the formations mander give a short sketch engaged were represented only the main features of the exercise by skeltton forces, at least $50,000 on the first afternoon. But con- troops took part, so that

ad-certing 'plans meant a conference ministration and supply could also at the armoured division's head- be given a real test.

quarters; so there my resourceful guide took me next morning, and The German “Landing” I was allowed to attend the con-

Three German divisions were

of

ference.

AMERICAN

REDS SUPPORT STALIN

[SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL"]

ir

The Communist Party in the United States has called for "full support and co- operation for the Soviet Union in her great struggle against Hitlerism,' and M. Kerensky, former Russian Premier, yes- terday appealed for support for Russia but denounced the Stalin Regime. Interna- tional News Service.

00000000*

ANOTHER

İR.A.F.

SWEEP

The boom of heavy The divisional commander, lald explosions rumbled across supposed to have effected stress on that quality of which I landing on

stretch a broad

spoke in my article of May 7❘ the English Channel hour coast in the area of the Southern and which I described as "curios- after hour in the after- Command. One of them on the ity or bite," especially on the left flank was obviously out to part of his armoured cars. In noon and carly evening capture a small port, and to cap- fact the two points which he yesterday when the Royal ture it for a purpose for which chiefly emphasized were dash in the enemy will obviously want a front and unremitting attention Air Force struck again in port if he attempts large-scale to protection, above all anti-northern France. Invasion-to put a Panzer divi- aircraft protection, further in sion ashore. The landing-places rear. He also urged that every were (theoretically) heavily effort should be made to bombed by the R.A.F., but it that most difficult of all tasks in was reported by the pilots that mimic warfare, to create in the the "Flak" was very formid- mind of the private sold'er

able. In practice the invaders picture in which he should were given every advantage, and able to see himself. permitted to complete their land-

ing operations in a brief space Skill And Realism of time, as though they had suf- fered little от по interruption

After that I drove down

fulfill

لة

be

to

short describe in

Yesterday's operations were on

a very extensive scale, with at- tacks on objectives on the French coast and inland.

R.A.F. fighter squadrons car- ried out the offensive operations, accompanied by Blenheim bomb-

ers.

Less opposition was encounter- ed from German fighters. ..

Eighteen enemy fighters are so far reported to have been des- troyed as against two British fighters missing.

Railway Targets

from bombing. It was, how-the flank of the battlefield, many ever, accepted that the Navy had miles away, to watch that fight- prevented further reinforcement. ing between the motorized divi- All three German divisions sion and the invaders of which I fought their way inland, the spoke earlier. It would be im- two right-hand ones wheeling possible to right to enlarge the footing gain ed and driving before them the remnants of the original defen clearly in my mind, mingled over northern France on Monday. ders of the beaches to create

with vignettes of that delightful evening, reveals an Air Ministry wide gap.

countryside: market towns, vil- communique, issued early this

morning. G.H.Q., however, handed over lages, manor houses, each more This time the Germans made à the motorized division, and lovely than the last, a blaze of it moved rapidly. through gorse, spring flowers in the garmore determined effort to inter the night: In brigade dens, the earl'er trees of the fere than in the sweep earlier in the day, and a flerce engagement groups of all arms to strike the woods and coppices all feathered occurred over Calais. It was here enemy's right flank on the with green; a depleted string of that two British bombers were morning of the second day. some of the best race-horses in

last but the enemy was "again The intervention of these fresh England fling

over the troops brought about a change in some of the best race-horses in heavily defeated," losing 12 air-

craft. Reuter. the local situation. But it was woodland. too late; on the left. the Panzer division was, already ashore, and its armoured cars, pushing boldly into the gap, - made very rapid progress.

Railway targets were bombed space the incidents of the battle, in the second RAF. sweep which nevertheless stand out

A Vulnerable Objective

bark

One of the strongest impresa flank thrust from the British slons, left by the exercise that armoured division and of protect- day was of the skill and realism ing its own Panzer division's with which it was mounted and camp during the hours of, dark- the ability with which it was, ness, mu controlled by the seniorum pired.

A

This move in its turn soomed to provide an opportunity ar the motorized divia'on to pursue the enemy, pin down his rear guard, and infilot damage upon

Next morning I was out on. In these circumstances the the plain by 7 o'clock in air like commander of the motorized divi- wine kept a little too long on the sion did not dare to continue his ice to be ideal, but none the less counter-offensive which would invigorating. The armoured cars I myself, however, following have carried him into the very of the British armoured division the tank battle, saw little more open country of the plain. A and those of the Panzers" alike of the infantry fighting. Nor can motorized division may hope to showed great enterprise-so much I say anything about the part put up a stiff resistance to tanics that for once some of the umpires played by the RAF. except that if it has time to consolidate a were taken by surprise by the aircraft, were constantly strong position, but if caught on speed at which the opposing head."

Troops Fit And Keen

the move its transport is one of forces made contact. The tank. the most vulnerable military ob- battle on the plain was highly jectives that can be imagined. In realistic, with the British armour- any case this division was some ed division simultaneously hitting Dimcult as it is to summarize what widely dispersed, its lead- and feeling for the enemy's flank so long a story, enough has per- ing brigade having pushed for- as it drove him back. This mark-haps been said to indicate how ward very quickly, while one of ed the turn of the tide. The wide was the scope of this ex- the rear brigades seemed to Panzer division foll back to ercises which was watched by have been held up on the road. "harbour" for the night, its move the Commander-in-Chief, how The divisional commander there affecting every corner of the real was the test provided, and fore ordered it to fall back upon battlefold, but most of all the how useful must have been the a river and prepare anti-tunis right flanic Here the centre Ger- lessons derived from it. The defences,

man Infantry division, in the troops were tried fairly highly,

The "move"“ván covered by act of assaulting the British and their sleep was often very the leading brigade which altor motorized division on its river limited, but the mon,wonder- wards passed through into supline defences, had to break off fully fit and healthy looking, stood port without having boom the notion at night and retreat, up to the hard work and raid. soriously pressed by the anagly's for the dual purpose of avoiding not lose their keenness.