The Archive · 1940

Belgians Evacuate Frontiers

Brussels, Jan, 15.

Hundreds of inhabitants of Belgian frontier villages were evacuated in the past few days coincident with widespread rumours that Germany was planning to invade Belgium and Holland, it was learned today. Action to evacuate the frontier areas was taken after unofficial but usually reliable Italian warnings on Friday night that Belgium was in danger of an imminent German attack.

Meanwhile, 30,000 troops of category "D" of the supply services were called to the colours, the last prescribed stage of calling men up before general mobilization.

(Neutral military observers estimated that Belgium now has 700,000 men under arms. Category "D" affects men between 20 and 35 years of age.

The Belgian General Staff yesterday took over the handling of the Official press service relating to military matters. This work was done previously by the Ministry of Defence—United Press.

Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.

Your account