18 Dec 1939
Page 1
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Newspaper
Portsmouth Herald
Location
Portsmouth, New Hampshire, United States of America
Date
Dec 18, 1939
Page
1
Reports from Paris and Berlin describe Western Front activity as limited to patrol clashes and distant artillery, with French casualties around 4,000 in 100 days. A stable line remains along the Franco German frontier, with no major breakthroughs and both sides maintaining readiness.
The snippet references 22.0 percent and a midday 12 p.m. time tied to Page Nine. It appears as a brief reader alert or header fragment rather than a full article. Named entities are scarce in readable text.
The British press reports a dramatic submarine strike near the Elbe mouth may have sunk a Koeln class German cruiser, amid claims of renewed sea warfare and the scuttling of the pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee. The Royal Oak loss is cited as motive for perceived British daring.
A German embassy spokesman said 1,039 sailors from the sunken Graf Spee arrived in Buenos Aires aboard tugboats and a barge from Montevideo where the ship scuttled. An Argentine official announced internment, with previous counts rising from 600.
Heywood Broun, 1, columnist and president of the American Newspaper Guild, died today in Harkness Pavilion at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center after pneumonia from a heavy cold. He had been ill since last Thursday and his condition worsened early this morning with a fever of 105.2 at 8 am and long periods of unconsciousness.
Copenhagen dispatch cites Norwegian reports from northern Finland describing forest combat where a patrol of nine Finnish soldiers was said to have killed 760 Russians in an exposed highway position. Exhausted Finnish troops crossing into Norway recounted small patrols armed with light machine guns.
An editorial mixed yuletide whimsy with grim war reporting. It recalls Nazi threats and Santa imagery while detailing Soviet tank assaults on the Mannerheim line. Finnish defense, field guns, and a Norwegian report of disarmed troops color the front.
Roland LaPointe, 24, of Somersworth, died at Frisbie Memorial Hospital Rochester from injuries after a weekend crash when the car he rode in struck a tree. Driver Lucien Lemelin, 28, also of Somersworth, had a fractured skull and broken leg. LaPointe was on danger list but “holding his own” at noon.
Paris dispatch notes renewed artillery on the Western front with a quiet night and minor activity not regarded as significant. Berlin reports the scuttling of the Graf Spee and Luftwaffe reconnaissance over France and Britain, with allied progress and British counter actions along the Moselle to Palatinate region.
Mrs. Mary Elinor Hanscom widow of Charles Dwight Hanscom and the citys oldest resident died Sunday at her home 23 Myrtle Avenue in her 99th year She leaves two daughters Miss Mary A Hanscom of Portsmouth Mrs John H Lawson of Troy NH a son Karl W Hanscom and a granddaughter Elinor C Hanscom Private services will be held at Buckminster chapel Tuesday at 2 30 PM Flowers may be omitted.
Berlin reports a high command communique stating one vanguard ship was sunk by a bomb as German planes attacked a British convoy with bombs and machine guns. The Pearl and Serenity are named as sunk, with ships damaged up to 4500 tons and crews fleeing to lifeboats. The report notes German planes scouted from height and used light bombs and machine guns.
In Dedham Mass a 17 year old Ogunquit girl Helen Hayes pleads innocent to murder armed robbery and breaking and entering. Her 18 year old boyfriend Harrison Howes Jr of New Bedford also pleads innocent. Both held for trial with date set. court expects jury next month.
Rye Police to be connected with New Hampshire state police radio network. A new receiving set will be installed in the Rye office and in the police car. For three years the department used a Mass state police radio link with call number 230. It will switch to the New Hampshire system with call number 176.
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