The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1939-10-19
Nazi High Command
Claims Big Advance
Continued from Page u

Continued
back, taking up preassigned posi-
tons virtually on their own from
| tier.)
The German announcement re-
ported sharp fighting.
German Communique
The communique said that the
French had been driven back after
a brief, though bitter battle.
German troops, the high command
said, did not cross the French from
tier.
The German army said that as a
result of the battle the first phase
of operations resulting from French
occupation of German territory on
the western front Immediately after
the outbreak of hostilities, could be
regarded as finished.
Between the River Saar and the
highway from Hornbach to Bitchce
we have driven the rear guard of
the enemy to the frontier after a
brief and bitter BATTLE" the high
command announcement said. -.
at several points we lost contact
with the enemy since our troops
have not crossed the French from
tier. Thus the first phase of opera
tions resulting from French initia-
tive is regarded as finished"
20 Miles Long
The advance claimed by the Ger
man troops, If confirmed, would
eliminate salient about 20 miles
long and six miles deep driven into
German territory by the French
shortly after the start of the war
The operation would relieve French
pressure on the German city OF
Saarbruecken.
The high command said the Ger
mans had lost but II planes on the
western front.
Germans had taken prisoner Is
French officers and 664 French nom
commissioned officers and men, ii
was said.
Thus, according to the commune
que, the Germans had taken in pris-
oners alone more than their total
losses in killed, wounded and miss
ing, and their airplane losses had
been in a ratio of less than one to
five.
French Statement
Paris, Oct. 19-(UP)-A cold fall
rain which turned trenches and nc
mans land into quagmiresi slowed
operations on the western front to-
day ad impeded the ceaseless move
ment of German soldiers, guns ano
munitions into the Siegfried line.
French outposts along the Rhine
around the turn of the front from
the Mosselle-Saar area, reported
that they could hear the clank OF
pumps working day and night in the
Siegfried easements.
Patrols were out on the active par
of the front between the Mosell.
and the Saar, but the patrols tot
were affected by the weather and
dispatches reported, generally lief
each other alone and tended to thel
own jobs of sounding out positions
On both sides moderate rectifica.
tons of advanced lines were effect.
ed. There was one clash south O.
Saarbruecken in which French from
line men threw back German
patrols.
French C0mmunique
The French high command, in wal
communique No. 81 this morning
said:
There was a quiet night on thu
whole front. The weather wa!
rainy. Enemy patrol elements, sup.
ported by artillery, were repulsed il
various parts of the front"
The Rhine was rising daily as thu
result of rains, and its tributarie.
along the Moselle- Saar front WERE
rising too. The rain and the niue
seriously impeded preparations fol
any attack, and expert French opin-
ion seemed to be today that despite
their big scale preparations the Ger
mans were unlikely right now to try
big scale offensive.
French general staff officers SEEM
ed well satisfied with their position
after the German attacks on Mon
day. All dispatches indicated thai
the general staff had timed the at.
tacks almost to the minute and hao
given strict orders to the few mer
In the most advanced sectors to re-
tire and leave it to the artillery ano
machine gunners to make a rela-
lively small gain a costly one.
1t was said that when the Ger
mans attacked in the Moselle sector
a strong force passed its objective
ITO enter the village of Apach. The
French counter attacked and trap
ped the entire force, killing most Of
the men In 1t and capturing 40.
Another column swept down the
Schneeburg Hill into the face of q
French turret containing a battery
OF three-inch guns. The French
guns held their fire until the Ger
mans were within 600 Yards anc
then, at point blank range, opened
with all they could bring to bear.
ITALY SEES NO PEACE
Rome, Oct, 19.-(UP)-Authorita
tive italian sources expressed be-
i.ef today that events of the last
few days ended peace hopes for fom
i or i've months at least.
German air raids on the scottish