DEEP ADVANCE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 65, Issue 145, 2 April 1945, Page 3

DEEP ADVANCE

ALLIES’ GAINS IN GERMANY. AMERICAN TANKS NEAR CASSEL BIG DRIVE ABOVE TTIE RUHR

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright.) LONDON. April 1. I Security silence still covers the j deepest advances of the Allied armies I into the heart of Germany. Nearly 120 miles east of the Rhine, tanks of the American 3rd Army were , last reported five miles from the city !of Cassel. A correspondent said that the city was likely to fall at any time. Another 3rd Army column was about six mijes from Fulda, about 50 miles almost due south of Cassel.

American Ist Army forces reached Paderborn, 45 miles north-west of Cassel, on Friday. Thirty miles almost due south of Cassel, 3rd Army forces were reported east of Hersfeld, which is on the Fulda River 25 miles north of Fulda. Further south, 7tli Army forces were 15 miles from ‘Wurzburg. The cities of Frankfurt, Mannheim, and Heidleberg are all in Allied hands. The Germans are still resisting in Ascliaffenburg (25 miles south-east of Frankfurt).

j The Luxembourg radio says that j Allied forces have entered Muenster, j which is 50 miles north-east of the northern Rhine bridgehead in the Wesel area. “Field-Marshal Montgomery’s army group, which broke through north of 1 lie Ruhr, are advancing faster, further, and'on a. broader front than ever,” says a British Broadcasting Corporation correspondent. “It is known that several armoured columns have made double figure advances in the last few hours. On the northern flank there appears to be chaos behind the German paratroops and panzer grenadiers in the Emmerich area. It looks as if most, if not all, of the Germans in the north-west Netherlands are trying to get away. The Welmnaeht is still almost completely disorganised. The Luftwaffe is finished as an effective fighting force. Hundreds of square miles east of the Rhine are being occupied every day. Signs multiply that the German nation is on the verge of the greatest military disaster in its history.” Consolidation of Gains. First American Army forces on Saturday continued their consolidation at Paderborn. which they reached on Friday.

Elements of the 9.th Armoured Division, after an 18-miles’ advance, linked up with elements of the 3rd Armoured Division (the force which reached Paderborn)' at Warburg, halfway between Paderborn and Cassel. The Germans were still resisting at Siegen, but Ist Army troops held most of the ground round the town. Reuter’s correspondent with the Ist Army said: “Thousands of German prisoners stand in fields along sideroads. Three thousand were in one field, guarded by only six Americans. Endless lines of lorries bulging with Germans move westward. ’

"The Ist Army’s tank columns slowed down on Saturday to consolidate their gains,” said an Associated Press correspondent. “They did not halt their drive but it was necessary to pause to allow the infantry to close up with the armour and seal off Ihe escape routes from 1h Ruhr.” “,One column of Ist Army tanks covering 2S miles to iho north reached the Eder River, crossed it on bridges which were captured intact, and captured Bergheim. Starting off again on Saiurday morning.- Ihev Iraversed a few more miles to three miles north of (he Edersee dam.

Spearheads of ihe 3rd Army were on Saturday reported near Lau ter hausen, 71 miles oast of Hersfeld. (Hersfold is 35 miles south-south-east of Cassel, on the Fulda River.) The 3rd Army’s tanks on Sat urday advanced 1G miles, capturing 20 towns. The 6th Armoured Division, after another five miles’ advance, was less than five miles from Cassel.

Petrol Supplied by Air

• American airmen are carrying petrol to the armoured columns and landing supplies on airfields east of ihe Prune. Pilots reported confused German rail and road movements in Ihe Cassel-Eisenacli-Hersfeld triangle, suggesting a panicky attempt to escape eastward .

Three armoured divisions attached to Ihe 3rd Army -all made gains on Friday, which helped to tighten the net. The greatest advance was made by the Gtli Armoured Division, which, after a total advance of -h; miles, finisnod up 10 miles south of Cassel, while a second column of the same ci; vision, reached Hersfeld, and another was four miles south-east of that town. The 12tli Armoured Division of the American 7th Army broke out of the Odenwald Forest .into open country, crossed the Tauber River, which joins the Main, and was last, reported lo miles from Wurzburg. Other elements of the same division reached Hardheim and Quiz,ingen, between 20 and 30 miles south-east of Wurzburg. Resistance at Aschaffenburg slackened on Saturday, and the Allies there pushed on another two to three miles. South of Ihe Neckar River, opposition was stronger, with tanks and antilank guns defending enemy positions.