TAKING OF HANOVER.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 65, Issue 154, 12 April 1945, Page 5

TAKING OF HANOVER.

ONLY TEN CASUALTIES. SUCCESS OF NINTH ARMY. (Rec. 12.15 p.m.) LONDON, April 10. How Hanover was taken was told by a British United Press correspondent in a message from Hanover late to-night. Thousands of Germans lined the streets as the Americans entered the city early in the morning on captured German vehicles, but not a white flag was seen as the result of the warning issued by the gauleiter of Hanover a few days ago: “Whoever hoists a white flag will be shot.” The people ignored posters plastered throughout the city, saying: "The nation springs to arms.” Even while tanks were exchanging shots this morning civilians flocked intcPthe streets to watch. One soldier said: “It makes you feel silly crouching around trying to get a shot at a sniper while civilians pedal past on ‘bikes,’ and women and children go along just watching.” Starving Russian slave workers from the railway yards and factories broke open food shops when released by the 9th Army. The German shopkeepers appealed frantically to the American troops. The Americans replied: “Just what you did in Poland, France and Greece,” and the Russians went on scrambling into shop windows to clutch great tins of biscuits.

The “Daily Express” correspondent says that 200 American infantrymen, with fewer than 10 casualties, took Hanover, with a present population of 250,000, 60,000 slave workers and 300 British prisoners.

The Germans have lost 1000 prisoners thus far, including three generals.

The correspondent says that the only undamaged building he saw was the town hall.,