REFUGEES STREAM OUT FROM AACHEN

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 245, 16 October 1944, Page 5

REFUGEES STREAM OUT FROM AACHEN

INTO ALLIED LINES

Complicating Plans For Attack N.Z.P.A. and British Wireless Rec. 12.30 p.m. LONDON, Oct. 15. The attack on Aachen is being complicated by general evacuation of civilians who are streaming into our . lines, writes a correspondent. Two thousand have been placed in one central camp. Men, women and children who have been living in cellars, air raid shelters and even sewers, have been coming over. Many have been without food for some days. American First Army forces today launched a new attack south from Wurselen area to close the gap north-east of Aachen, says the British United Press correspondent. The enemy in this area counterattacked all last night but was repulsed. The Germans, north-east of Aachen, this afternoon launched a strong armoured and infantry attack and overran the advanced American positions, but were beaten back, says the Associated Press correspondent at Aachen. Forty tanks supported the German infantry. German transport planes early to-day dropped supplies for ttie Aachen garrison. Hiinmler in Aachen Shelter .A German woman, who was among the refugees from Aachen, told the Daily Mail correspondent that Himmler visited Aachen on September 10. "We were in a shelter -at the time, it was at night, when he stalked in with a big bodyguard. He made a speech and ended by saying, 'Is everyone here still solidly behind the Fuehrer?' Everyone answered 'Ja.' "Most of the bodyguard had their hands on their revolvers. Then Himmler asked-for questions. An old lady asked if Aachen would be evacuated and Himmler thundered that it would not. He said no invader would touch Aachen. Two days later there came an order that we must evacuate next day." About 100,000 people left, but about 40,000 stayed, living -on rainwater and tinned food, said the refugee. "We stayed underground all day on Thursday and Friday. Then someone peeped out from the shelter on Saturday and saw Americans. They treated us most kindly. We knew they would, despite what Himmler had said," she concluded. ■ ■■■■DBW""""""""""" 11 ""™