Evening star., 1939-09-21
Trench and British
Drop Nazi Planes
Over West Front
Additional Successes
Claimed by Doefiehts
Behind German Lines
By the Associated Press,


PARIS, Sept. 21.-Military dis
patches today reported French and
British air pilots had brought down
an undetermined number of German
planes In the past few days in a
series Of victorious dog fights with
German flyers over the western
front.
French communiques, military
sources said, have been limited only
to those enemy planes which have
fallen behind the French lines. They
said the number of Germans who
crashed was known to be "substan-
TALLY more"
These sources said it was possible
that some French planes in the air
battles might have been those man.
ufactured by United States aircraft
firms and purchased by France
They declared it was difiicult, how
ever, to say definitely until detailed
reports from the squadrons had been
received at general staff head
quarters.
Daladier Speaks Today.
Premier Daladiers Office an
nounced he would broadcast a mes
sage to the French nation tonight
at $50 (2:30 pm, E. S. T.).
provided the broadcast of
President Roosevelts message to
Congress is completed in time,
American networks expected to
relay from Paris Premier Dala-
dier's message to the French ma
tionJ
The French war >ministry's eve
ming communique of yesterday an
nounced definitely that one German
plane had fallen behind French
lines. 1t was recalled also that mill
tary dispatches last Monday report
ed French pilot had brought down
three enemy ships by himself.
Air victories also had been re-
ported previously during fighting in
the Sierck sector September Is,
when French planes were said to
have driven German fighters out
of the air.
GA German high army COM
mand communique issued today
in Berlin reported eight enemy
warplanes and three captive bal
looms shot down on the western
'front.'
Press Toward Zweibruecken.
War dispatches said the French
Army was threatening approaches
to Zweibruecken, Germany, at the
upper end of the Blies River VAL
ley.
; These advices reported French ad-
vance units had fought numerous
pitched battles with German patrols
in the Zweibruecken zone and
further west, near Saarbruecken
another German city which the
French were attempting to sur
round.
Zweibruecken, about 16 miles from
Saarbruecken, lies miles within
Germany and Saarbruecken miles.
These reports indicated each side
was seeking prisoners in the gun
bristling zone between the northern
reaches of the Maginot and Sieg-
fried line from whom to pry secrets
of strategy and troop disposition.
The morning war ministry COM
munique, in much the same laconic
style as previous announcements,
said there was local activity by ad-
vance guards and artillery actions
here and there"
The French expected a major
German offensive soon on the west
ern front as sequel to the success
ful onslaught on Poland.
The British and French stats
were in constant contact apparently
studying a threat which many OBJ
servers saw in the reported massing
Of German troops at Aachen, Ger
many, near the Belgian and the
Netherlands borders.
Col. Gen. Walter Won Brauchitsch.
German chief Of stan. was reported
to have left Germany's Polish front
for the west and the Germans were
said to have concentrated from $500