The Wilmington morning star., 1940-06-03
FRANCE
FRENCH HOLD
DUNKERQUE IN
FACE OF PUSH
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%surrender o. the Belgian army at
the order of Leopold III.
Allied troops whose lines of supply
were still cut, including the little
British garrison holding the Calais
Citadel. were being supplied by
planes which parachuted food and
ammunition.
While the no-quarter contest for
Dunkerque ragged ON in what the
French cali a reciprocal strategical
pause" in the war the fighting eased
along the Somme and Aisne rivers
and the eastern front.
The latter action was confined to
ARTILLERY fire and some automatic
arms fire in the region of Rethel,'
said the high command.
The semi. official Tolerance agency
declared that German air raids this
weekend on Marseille and other
ports of southeastern Trance, il
which the Germans were said tt
have lost u planes, were intended tc
show Italy she can count on Ger
man support in any action against
France.
Visits SOmme Front
Premier Paul Reynaud visited the
Somme front today with Vice Pre-
mier Henri Philippe Petain and
Raoul Dautry, minister of arma-
ment, and on his return to Paris said
the morale of the army was never
higher"
A communique, issued by Rey'
naud's office, said the ministers
congratulated the command for the
energy and speed with which a
defense organization, remarkably
adapted to the highest present phase
Of the war, has been achieved"
Allied Smelling, machine-gun and
rifle fire and the strafing of low
flying planes were blended into a de-
fensive holocaust to meet the Nazl
drive at Dunkerque although the
CITY was under German fire from
field guns almost ringing the town.
The German guns were said to
be pouring out a %ceaseless bonn
bardment to cover the Infantry
movements and blast the British
and French from their fiercely-
held pont of debarkation from
Flanders fields.
Merciless combat developed as
the Nazi soldiers, no longer shield
ed by tanks, plunged into the flood
from opened coastal canals.
Dead Disappear
Wave after wave of Germ troops
strove to cross the water hazard,
it was said, and each showed great
gaps as the individual attacks end
ed. The survivors stumbled back
10 the high ground and the dead
and wounded disappeared in the
few feet of water.
Bursting shells geysered the wa
ter, churning into a muddy and
bloody froth.
That was the picture of the siege
OF Dunkerque as pieced together
from reports reaching this capital
as it awaited Germany's next
move-against France on the Som
me-Aisne line, about 70 miles from
Paris, or against England, just
across the channel. At Dunkerque
the English coast is about 40 mi
les away but only % from the
Calais region.
The sea, let in around Dunkerque
to form a great protecting moat
like the water barrier of a Medic
val castle. almost encircled the
city.
Beaches extending for several
miles on either side of Dunkerque
were helpful in he embarkation
of Allied troops, permitting a
spreading out of the retiring forces.
More than 100 Allied warships
took part in the operations and
more than 200 transport vessels
ranging from large steamships tc
little more than launches came
and went under intense fire and
bombing, ferrying troops across