IMPORTANT GAIN

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 152, 29 June 1944, Page 5

IMPORTANT GAIN

TOURVILLE CAPTURE j Vital Observation Point For Allied Army I X.Z. Press Association—Copyright | Rec. noon. LOXDOX. June 2S. It is learned at Supreme Headquarters that the Allied attack in j the Tilly-Caen area is generally proi gressing satisfactorily, despite" most ! stubborn enemy resistance. The latest advance of about a mile has enabled the attackers to cut the main Caen-Yillers Bocage road south-east of the railway between the two places which were cut yesterday. The advance has resulted in the capture of Tourville. six and a half miles ; south-west of Caen. Tourville is j important because it is on high ! ground in a wooded enclosed country giving the Allies observation ! over the country to the south and to i the south-east. There are reports that the British, who crossed the Odon River south- ; east of Tourville. are now in possesi sion of high ground south of the i river. This is most important be- ' cause it robs the Germans of obseri vation points. The attackers on the right fiank have also advanced j slightly, thus straightening out the salient. The Germans know the importance of Caen and are. therefore. doing their utmost to prevent j the Allies obtaining the elbow room necessary to them to drive the Germans south. Allied armour in the battle southj cast of Tilly succeeded in widening [ the breach created by the infantry on Monday, reports to-day's Supreme Headquarters communique. Outforces are advancing on a four-mile front, which was driven across the main Yillers Bocage-Caen road, after particularly heavy fighting on the left in the" area of Tourville. The enemy is resisting stubbornly, but the advance continues to make good progress. A further communique states that the enemy has been driven out of Rauray. "south-east of Fontenay, where" resistance has been very stubborn. Berlin radio early to-day reported that massed British forces advancing in the Tilly sector penetrated to Grainville, eight miles south-west of Caen, on the Yillers Bocage-Caen railway. The radio claims that German defences checked the advance.