WHEATHER FORECAST.

Unsettled.

THE BATTLE OF FRANCE

Yesterday brought further news of great and increasing progress in the battles of the rivers SEINE and MARNE. Second Army, CANADIAN and Allied troops continued to improve their bridgeheads over the SEINE, and vast quantities of armour and infantry crossed the river in preparation for the drive, forward to the SOMME. The great river port of ROUEN is now within range of Allied artillery, and in the loop of the river the small ramining enemy forces are being completely wiped out.AMERICAN columns are now pushing forward into, what is for them, historic country, for their advanced forces have now reached CHATEAU THIERRY, the scene of a great AMERICAN victory in the last war. Other reports, as yet unconfirmed, speak of U.S. armour as having reached RHEIMS, the capital of Champagne, whilst other stories are in circulation, probably of GERMAN origin, which speak of AMERICAN spearheads at VITRYn which is half way between PARIS and the frontier fortress-town of METZ. Although these reports may overstate the case at the present moment, they undoubtedly indicate the tremendous threat which is fast developing along the enemy's left flank, and what yesterday was but the beginning of a new encirclement, by today may well be half-way to completion. The GERMAN forces garrisoning the Pas de Calais and the Nord in no way compare with the S.S. formation against whom we scored a resounding victory in NORMANDY, but since they form the sole protection to the last weapon in Hitler's armoury, they may very well offer as spirited a resistance as their limited armament will allow, for not only are they fighting to preserve themselves, but they are the last guard upon the last hope of Hitler's GERMANY.

Yesterday the control of PARIS passed formally into FRENCH hands. GERMAN prisoners taken there now total 11,000 men. Twelve food convoys have already reached the almost starving city, and sky-trains of Dakotas have also been employed to alleviate the pangs of the Parisians.

In the South of FRANCE the liberation of MARSEILLES has now been completed. Five thousand GERMAN soldiers surrendered yesterday, and among their number was yet another General, the third taken by the Allies in the vicinity of this port. Since 'D' Day in Southern FRANCE, the Allied 7th Army has sent back 35,000 prisoners to the cages, and the GERMAN 19th Army, now boating its retreat up the RHONE VALLEY, is fast dissolving beneath the renewed blows of our armour and infantry.

General Petch's troops have now reached the town of MONTELIMAR in their drive towards LYONS. The GERMAN forces retrating before them are now estimated to be only 15,000 strong, and their withdrawal leads them inevitably in the direction of LYONS. Throughout the whole of this region the Maquis are almost in complete control, and the formidable combination of Allied armour and infantry plus the guerilla tactics of the F.F.I. is like to produce, in the near future, another resounding sucess.

Around BORDEAUX 13,000 GERMAN troops, who had been rushed up from the extreme South West, are now encircled by AMERICAN armour and by Forces of the Interior. Thoughout Southern and Central France the liberation of still further communities at the hands of the F.F.I., is taking place daily.

THE RUSSIAN FRONT

Striking new successes were yesterday reported by Marshal Stalin. Red Army troops hace forced the CARPATHIAN passes which lead into TRANSYLVANIA, and have already captured a town on HUNGARIAN soil. Around the DANUBE DELTA RUSSIAN Marines from the BLACK SEA Fleet have taken three more ports, and the Soviet grup on the lower reached of the river is now complete. The GERMAN divisions encircled far back to the North, around KISHINEV, have now been completely wiped out.

The Red Army has also made further progress North East of WARSAW, and has taken an inhabited locality where seven roads meet. Inside the capital POLISH Forces under the command of General 'Bor' are still denying to the enemy the use of many important roads and bridges. Their struggle continues to be a desperate one, and their supply of arms depends either on captured enemy material, or upon parachute deliveries effected by the Royal Air Force from bases in ITALY.

In Nothern LATVIA and ESTONIA our Allies continue to reduce the encircled 16th and 18th Armies. GERMAN attempts to break through to the relief of these armies have now slackened off, and it becomes increasingly apparent that Hitler's doctrine of "Stand Fast" has lost for him yet other armies, and this at a time when his need is more desperate tahn ever before.

In BULGARIA all anti-Jewish legislation has now been suspended, and political prisoners are to receive an amnesty. GERMAN armed forces who have passed into the country from RUMANIA are being disarmed, and yet others are being re-consigned to axis-held territory. A peace envoy is reported to be in consultation with BRITISH diplomatic representatives, and the whole picture is one of a nation now desperately trying to avoid the perils of war within its own borders. Meanwhile, from Marshal Tito's headquarters comes to the news that BULGARIAN troops are still fighting bitterly on the side of the Axis in YUGOSLAVIA, and the way out of the war for BULGARIA is likely to remain a difficult one until such incidents as those have entirely disappeared.

THE ITALIAN FRONT

All along the line BRITISH, AMERICAN and Allied troops are gradually pressing back the enemy towards his Gothic Defences. Yesterday General Mark Clark, commander of the U.S. 5th Army, announced that during the campaign his troops had captured 47,000 prisoners, and had virtually annihilited twelve complete divisions.

Mr. Churchill has has interviews with the Pope, the Regent, Prince Umberto, and Signor Bonomi, Premier of the new ITALIAN Government. Yesterday, he announced that large new ITALIAN armed forces will shortly be available to the Allies in this theatre of operations. Commenting on ITALY'S part in the war, he said that although much remained to be redeemed to past follies and evil doings, he saw much to praise in the military activity of those ITALIAN troops who were now fighting alongside the Allies. The process of redemption was now under way, and ITALY might hope to find herself accepted ... again amongst the nations of free EUROPE.

AIR NEWS

Allied Air Forces scored great successes yesterday against transportation targets destroying 200 locomotives, 1,200 waggons and many hundreds of lorries.