Evening star., 1940-05-31
Puriis
Continued From First Page.)

cy asserted that the Germans had
lost half million men since they
began their invasion of the Low
Countries May 10.
This figure finds itself written in
authentic German documents" tine
agency reported, without giving ad-
ditional details.
Equipment Saved.
The Prioux units, military
spokesman said, reached Dunkerque
with war equipment which they
succeeded in saving from the Ger
mans.
German reports said that Gen.
Prioux, his staff and an un-
determined number of his men
were capturedD
The situation for the French
troops still inside the Nazi pocket,
with German infiltrations threaten
ing them. remained grave but not
desperate" the spokesman said.
With the line of mounts" salient,
which the Germans established yes
terday, fractured, the French
apparently held an advantage for
maintaining the breach. The Ger
mans, however, still held Mount
Cassel.
Nazi advance units pushed furi-
ously to Mount des Cats" near
Godewaersvelde, one of series of
French-Belgian frontier hills about
500 feet high
South of the ridges studding the
Flanders plain, the rest of the Prioux
army continued to fight.
Dunkerque was described as an
armed camp" held solidly.
Protected by Moat.
Like an ancient fortress, Dunker-
que is protected by a semicircular
'moat' of muddy water several
miles wide which rushed in from
the sea when the Allies opened the
canal locks.
(Here two words censored) Strips
(three words deleted) connecting
the port with the Flanders pocket
from which the Allies are with
drawing are reported firmly held by
French and British units.
Military sources said Germans
advancing from the southwest had
ground to halt at the waters
edge.
On the northeast side of the port,
they said, the Nazis have not vet
reached the water barrier and the
Allies are combating them in the
area between it and the User Canal.
Gen. Prioux' army, the military
reported, is retreataing in a solid
square, giving battle on all sides in
a gigantic modern version of a
classic Napoleon maneuver.
Air Barred to Nazis.
The air above Dunkerque has been
literally forbidden" to German
planes by the hot fire of naval
anti-aircraft guns cooperating with
British chaser squadrons operating
from bases in England only a few
minutes away, military spokesman
said.
The anti-aircraft batteries de-
structive fire protected Allied in
trenchments and conveys which
were bringing in supplies as well
as carrying out withdrawing troops.
French and British troops, sup
ported by shell fire from warships,
maintained their positions along the
eastern and western walls of the
corridor protecting Dunkerque.
Units in Calais were said still to
be fighting, despite violent German
attacks.
A commentator said the Allied
fleets kept continuous shuttle serv-
ice moving in and out of Dunkerque,
carrying in supplies to the armies
and carrying out tired and wounded
soldiers together with auxiliary
units whose operations no longer
were needed in the battle zone.
Nazis Reinforced.
The Germans were reported
bringing up heavy reinforcements
in an attempt to break the solid
walls Of the corridor through which
the Allied forces were withdrawing
to the sea.
French and British naval guns
pounded the Nazi columns from the
sea, while Allied planes continued a
relentless bombardment of the Ger
man concentrations.
Iq the Argonne Forest region be-
tween the Aisne and the Meuse,
artillery batteries on both sides
shelled each others positions. A