AMERICANS LAUNCH STRONG ATTACKS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 251, 23 October 1944, Page 5

AMERICANS LAUNCH STRONG ATTACKS

ON METZ FRONT

Initial Thrust Breaks Into German Defences

.;, N.Z. Press Association—Copyright Rec. noon. LONDON, Oe\. 22. ■ .The Americans, after an artillery bombardment at dawn this morning, opened an attack north of Foret de Parroy, on the Metz front. It was made in the vicinity of Coincourt, says Reuters correspondent with we American Third Army.

. American infantry, advancing on • six-mile front north of Fqret de Parroy to-day cleared Coincourt Wid threw the Germans back two miles in the direction of Dieuze, east of Cetz, says Reuters correspondent With the American Third Army. The initial resistance was fairly strong, out later it slackened. A considerable number of Germans were taken prisoner.

. The bombing of the Dieuze dam oy Thunderbolts resulted in submerging an area ten miles long and upwards of one and a half miles wide. Four other towns as well as Dieuze are flooded or submerged.

It is reported that the flooding following the damage to the Dieuze oani is causing some disruption of traffic on the railroad from Sarrewurg to Nancy and Metz. • ; The Americans this morning opened up an attack against Wurse«n, where heavy fighting is going on, says Reuters -correspondent with the. American First Army. ' T3le Americans, in the Aachen area, buried over 15,000 enemy dead, tofi 1500 prisoners have been Counted at Aachen, 600 of whom surrendered with the garrison commander.

German Commander Surrenders ..The commander of the German garrison at Aachen, Colonel Wilck, surrendered with the remainder of his forces just after noon yesterday. Minor■■fighting continued in parts of Jne city for some time after the tyrmai surrender, but resistance Wased by mid-afternoon. I The Aachen commander and the ralance -of the garrison finally surrendered at noon on Saturday, writes »' correspondent at Supreme Headquarters, . but up to two hours later were was still some fighting in parts ot the city, probably because the commander was unable to notify all "is. men of his decision to surrender. « was expected that within the next «w hours this fighting would cease wip.that mopping-up would be completed. , , >.

.•jVThe Aachen operations have been m progress since October 10, following -the cutting of the AachenVOlogne road. On that day an ultimatum was sent to the commander, ?Wing on him to surrender within « hours. During this period hostili-

ties in the outer perimeter continued, but artillery and mortar fire on the city stopped. On the termination of the ultimatum period, fullscale operations continued, and on the sixteenth the gap between the two American forces surrounding the city was closed. After establishing a strong line to the east an all-out attempt was made on the garrison. Fjghter-bombers in the Aachen sector attacked fortified villages and bombed and strafed artillery. Other fighter-bombers struck at railways from points near Aachen to the area east of Nancy, and also hit a bridge in the Rhine Valley near Hermeskeil House.

Major Thomas Lancer, of New York, is chief of the Allied Military Government in Aachen. He is already closing the Nazi party offices and organisations and providing medical attention and food for" sick and wounded civilians.

It will be some years before Aachen assumes its normal role of a big industrial base. The city will be repaired only in so far as need for military purposes. There is ample evidence in Aachen that the Germans do not lack many things, r Wrecked shops and stores contained plenty of cheese, butter, good quality soap, sweets and clothes, probably better than the English utility clothing. There was hardly a German home lacking a good, small wireless.