NAZI LINE PIERCED IN NORMANDY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 182, 3 August 1944, Page 5

NAZI LINE PIERCED IN NORMANDY

(N.Z.P.A. —Copyright.—Rec. I p.m.) " LONDON, August 2. "• * "Rommel is facing disaster. The Germans cannot think of pulling back to Paris. Rommel must stand and fight on the high ground between Caen and Villers Bocage, and I think we shall destroy him." This statement was made to-day by a senior staff officer, according to the Associated Press correspondent. "The Germans," the staff officer added, "can now have nothing in mind but defence or withdrawal. If they try to withdraw they will risk most frightful devastation. We have broken right into the German line."

The operation south of Caumont is a major success, stated the spokesman at the headquarters of General Dempsey's British Second Army tonight, according to Reuters correspondent. "We have definitely broken through on a part of the front where we had not made progress for some time," the spokesman said. "In addition to holding Beny Bocage firmly and the area around Bois du Homme, including Hills 309 and 361, we have captured Amaye sur Seulles, four miles and a half east of Caumontif and advanced along the road from Caumont towards Aunay, from where we are less than two miles. Our light armoured elements have reconnoitred as far south as the outskirts of Vire, where street fighting is in progress. The prisoners taken in four days number 1500." "Definitely Broken Through" The spokesman, in the course of his statement, said three times: "We have definitely broken through." The correspondent says that at the same time it should not necessarily be assumed from this that we automatically have an army on the road to Paris. The spokesman continued: "Our casualties in personnel have been comparatively light. In tanks they have been small, and where tanks have been lost they are mostly recoverable. The course of the Second Army operations is becoming clearer." "We have been opposed by a very considerable number of enemy formations, including the bulk of his armoured units," the spokesman added. "The country in our sector is close and difficult and has greatly favoured the defence. The constant attacks with limited objectives which the Second Army has been making

have achieved a three-fold purpose: (1) They have kept the initiative firmly in our hands. (2) They have forced the enemy to plug holes as they have shown signs of appearing and forced him to put reserves into the line whenever he showed signs of building up a striking force In reserves. (3) They have inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy: Particularly successful operations were the capture of Caen and the break from the bridgehead east of the Orne." Americans Beyond Pontorsun American armour in strength has passed beyond Pontorsun, going west and south, while other columns, going down the Selune River, have reached Lebaut, nine miles south-east of Avranches, and Cuves, 12 miles east of Avranches. American forces have cleared the village of Ville Dieu. The only organised resistance in their sector seems to be in the Tessy-Percy-Ville Dieu areas. In the British sector German resistance seems to be cracking. The attacking troops have pushed forward four miles south-east of Beny Bocage and cut the Vire-Villers Bocage road at a point four miles north-east of Vire. Other places stormed and captured are Feugui Rolles, Le Bus, La Vacaille, Rodin, Breuil, and Jurque, all on the arc six or seven miles east and southeast of Caumont. Allied pilots report that long convoys of ambulances, sometimes 60 or 70 strong, are pulling out of the town of Vire. This is taken as an indication that the Germans are having to move their general hospitals hurriedly. This procedure is normally carried on with much greater leisure.