Withdraw; Nazis Begin Harsh Rule in Holland London, May 18.
The withdrawal of the French landing party from Walcheren Island, in Zeeland, was effected by way of Breskens in the direction of Knocke and Zeebrugge. A number of Dutch units crossed the Escaut with the French soldiers between Flushing and "educational Breskens and joined other Dutch! place American industry in a position detachments which had previously crossed into Belgian territory to be reorganized. This is considered a sign of Holland's determination to continue the struggle as the Belgians did in the World War, even if Zeeland province must be abandoned entirely.
The admiral commanding French landing parties in Zeeland province of the Netherlands decided yesterday, after consultation with the Dutch military commander in the area. to evacuate the islands of Walcheren and Beveland. The towns of Middelburg and Veere, famous for their architecture, are located on Wal-che ren isle.
The islands, it was learned here, suffered heavily from extensive German aerial bombardment, Fighting on the mainland was extremely violent on the left shores of the Scheldt estuary.
Before withdrawing from positions, the Dutch in all cases destroyed everything that might prove of military value to the enemy, Harbour facilities, shipping yards and fuel reservoirs were destroyed without exception at Flushing, on Walcheren, before the island was evacuated, The personnel of the aviation raining centre at Dansa, on Wal-che ren isle, also succeeded in getting through to an Allied air base, flying over in the planes they had used for training purposes—
Havas, German Regime Instituted London, May 18.
"Martial law has been decreed in the occupied parts of Holland, according to the German controlled radio at Hilversum, The announcement is accompanied by a list of severe penalties for specified "crimes," including assisting civilians to escape from German occupied areas, or giving information prejudicial to German interests, The rate of exchange has been fixed at 1% marks to one guilder. Receipts from the military authorities must be accepted for purchases of over 500 marks, Dutch troops are to be employed in repairing damages, the announcenent concludes.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.