The impression given, the experts said, was that new German batteries were entering the battle lines and that the barrages were purposely laid to enable the men to gain firing experience. Because of this factor, the French prefer to wait and spot the new material before making serious counter-barrages, they added.
Air activity was generally quiet, but the Germans made a series of observation raids confined to region 50 kilometres behind the French front, and were interpreted as efforts to check on French battle strength positions. Numerous German squad-Tons were also seen flying over Belgian territory at a high altitude.
The French Air Force carried out deep reconnaissance flights over German territory yesterday, the mil tary experts said, but there were no air battles.
Most of the German raids staged recently, they related, were during the early hours of dark nights. French forces continue to react sharply to the slightest moves aimed at an advance by German land forces at any point.
French military quarters believed that more German troops were slowly filtering toward the front lines, which appeared to have been considerably reinforced between Weisbriicken and Lauterburg following deep French reconnaissance in this wooded region United Press, A unique incident which occurred during the bombardment of Kwangsi cities by a Japanese naval plane was described at yesterday evenings press conference. An anti-aircraft shell struck the detonator of a bomb which had just been released by the Japanese plane, the resultant explosion completely demolishing the wing of the plane. The machine crashed immediately, all occupants apparently being killed.
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