OCR Text |
Show Air Battles Resume as Weather Clears to Speed War's Tempo By KENNETH T. DOWNS PARIS, Oct 2 (INS) Bright sunshine today brought a renewal of Intense aerial activity along the western front as allied planes engaged en-gaged In reconnaissance flights and other aerial maneuvers. Today's aerial action marked another an-other step In the struggle for air supremacy between the Maglnot and Siegfried lines. It was reported In Paris that seven Gerr an Messerschmidt fighting planes were shot down In "dog fights" on Saturday. At the same time. It was stated that advancing French ground forces have collected 3000 German mines In the captured Wamdt forest areas. Approximately 2000 more were exploded. Thus the Germans left about 5000 mines In an area of about two square miles. French sources said this Is a fair example of what may be expected on any terrain abandoned aban-doned by German troops. Harmless looking crates which exploded when the lids were lifted were left hidden under the ground, along with wires and other types of triggers which exploded the charges when touched by feet of advancing soldiers. Reports from Brussels confirmed that German forces are massing along the west wall and that the Germans are calling up more reserves. re-serves. During the past 56 hours. It was stated, whole squadrons of planes have been engaged In the "dog fights," with French and British pilots claimed to be more than holding their own. (Editor's note: Last night a German Ger-man communique stated eight allied al-lied planes were shot down Saturday Satur-day in engagements over the western west-ern front) At the same time, the French ground forces were reported to have won new positions threatening threaten-ing Saarbruecken and Saarlouls, two Important German centers In the rich Saar mining region. This morning's communique, No. 97, said merely: The night was relatively quiet There were raids (coups de main) and ambushes at different parts of the front" The French communique Issued last night No. 56, likewise was relatively uncommunicative, stating stat-ing simply: "It was a quiet day. There was artillery fire from both sides east of the Saar." The air fights apparently have Increased owing to the French and British reconnaissance flights over the Siegfried line, as additional German troops and equipment are being rushed to concentration points behind the front As a result the allied observation observa-tion patrols have been reinforced by fighting squadrons which cruise up and down the lines, ready to aid the observation planes at an Instant's notice. French advices from the front said a new thrust Into the outer defenses of the Siegfried line won the French forces a strategically Important area a mile nearer Saarlouls. Saar-louls. The French troops also were said to be Increasing their threat against Saarburg, but the high command was reported unwilling to move against these and other Saar valley cities at the moment Apparently the French authorities are content for the present with crippling Industry In these German Ger-man Industrial areas. In France, the government this morning leveled another blow at leftists by decreeing dissolution of the Algerian people's party. |