The Archive · 1939

Berlin Communique

Berlin, Nov. 19, A Royal Air Force attack on the German naval base at Wilhelmshaven was repulsed by Nazi anti-aircraft fire and pursuit planes, it was reported here last night, Reports from the Western Front said French artillery pounding at German defence positions failed to dent the Siegfried Line yesterday. The French forces, were attempting to strengthen their positions on the Moselle Valley by digging trenches and moving up artillery, the reports said, Only minor fighting, however, occurred on the West Front, they reported, Allied artillery powerfully bombardéd the Siegfried fortifications yesterday hitting one fort with 70 or 80 shells, the report said, but the fort "stood the test without interrupting the work of construction going on" and no serious damage was done.

"Timely anti-aircraft fire," the report continued, thwarted the attempt of three Royal Air Force planes to attack Wilhelmshaven. Nazi pursuit planes chased the raiders, "but were unable to catch them," the reports said, The fact that German planes flew over Bordeaux, North England, and the Shetland and Orkney Islands, "slightly more than 2,000 kilometres," was proof of the ability of the German planes and their crews, it was declared.—United Press.

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