BRITISH HEARING ALBERT CANAL

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 213, 8 September 1944, Page 5

BRITISH HEARING ALBERT CANAL

PROGRESS IN BELGIUM

German Reinforcements Being Thrown In N.Z. Press Association—Copyright Rec. 1 p.m. LONDON, Sept. 7. The British Second Army is nearing the Albert Canal, says Reuters Belgium correspondent. The British are meeting considerable ' German resistance and shellfire. The Germans brought reinforcements to this area from Holland. They have a force of considerable strength. The Second Army has taken 7000 prisoners in the past 48 hours. Brussels radio reports that the Allies reached the Albert Canal, 30 miles north-east of Louvain. The German news agency says the Allies reached Diest, a few miles farther west, on the canal. The German news agency also reports that French forces captured Briancon, five miles from the Italian frontier. F.F.I. Headquarters states that French Forces of the Interior yesterday entered the big railway town of Poitiers, halfway down the railway between Paris and the Spanish frontier. Our forces to the south are advancing beyond the Meuse south-east of Namur and north-east of Givet, says a Supreme Headquarters communique. They are encountering mortar and small arms fire. Troops moving through the Forest of Ardennes are east of Auchamps. The advance north-east and east of Verdun continues. The Seventh Army has liberated an additional number of towns in Eastern France in its rapid pursuit of the withdrawing enemy, states an Allied communique. French troops, after occupying Chalon sur Saone, have reached Givry and advanced up the west bank of the Saone to Allerey with little resistance. American troops farther east have driven northward to Doubs and the Upper Saone Valley, occupying Poligny, Arbois and other localities.