THREE BARRIERS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 177, 28 July 1944, Page 5

THREE BARRIERS

ALLIES IN NORMAND Weather, Enemy Armour Ai Cramped Battle Areas N.Z. Press Association—Copyright Rec. 10 a.m. LONDON, July 1 Three factors making progress Normandy slow and difficult, sa; Reuters correspondent at Suprei Headquarters advanced commai post are: (1) The weather; (2) t strength of the German positioi armour and infantry; and (3) t nature of the terrain, which mi tary spokesmen say makes impossible at present to use t superiority of Allied armour ful "It is not much advantage to ha 100 men to the enemy's ten if t circumstances allow only eight your men to get at the enemy's t men at one time," the corresponde adds. "This is the situation present confronted by Allied armoi This phase may soon be ended, better country, with room manoeuvre, Allied tanks cou swarm around, through and behi; the enemy lines." German Tanks Superior After a fortnight's tour, the Nf York Times correspondent in Lc don, Hanson Baldwin, describes t Normandy front as a magnifi Anzio. He says that, in spite early optimism resulting from re tively light casualties, the Germa are now fighting with great feroci and effectiveness, for which reasi the Allies are behind their plann schedule. Both armies, particularly the G< mans, have become armies of mol« burrowing into hedgerows and d ging deep into the earth. This country where one man can he back five. The weather consistently has be against the Allies, whose tremendo air power has been able to opera on only a few days since D day. T1 German Mark V. and Mark VI. tan are superior to the Allies' Sherma and Cromwells. The Allied drive to Cherbou gave the Germans time to consc date their positions across the Cc tentin Peninsula. As a result, t German crust is stronger than w expected, and the enemy air ai ground strength has steadily i creased. The Allies are engaged in a sit ging, bloody struggle. They a advancing by perhaps three or fo hc-'Jgerows a day, compared wi the Russians' average advance 10 to 15 miles a day. The currei grim jest on the Normandy front "We must soon adjust our artille 1 barrage to avoid laying a barra against the Russians advancing fro the east." The Allies have tremendous fi power, Mr. Baldwin concludes, b have proved sluggish in manoeuvi The war of hedgerows has 'becor a war of attrition:

German equipment and materi; captured in Cherbourg are of fir rate quality, states a message frc United States Headquarters in Ch bourg. Some ammunition boxmade of fine woodwork and lin with zinc for waterproofing, a others of metal with waterprc removable lockable lids, also cran generators and concrete mixers £ regarded by the United States Arr engineers who are now using th( as superior to standard Americ equipment. The message adds that Germ use of metal more lavish than American production indicates tl there are no dire shortages in t Reich as so often reported. Speaking at a Press conference New York the Commander-in-Ch of the United States Navy, Admi. E. J. King, said the port of Ch bourg had not yet been restored the extent of enabling the Allies j move in large ships.