WEST FRONT ARMIES

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 309, 30 December 1944, Page 5

WEST FRONT ARMIES

Comparison Of American And British Strength TOTAL. OF 46 DIVISIONS Rec. 12.30 p.m. NEW YORK, Dec. 29. The New York World Telegram says that British criticism of the Supreme Allied Command as a result of the German counter-offen-sive has drawn attention to the composition of the Allied armies on the Western Front, where United States troops outnumber British by four to one. The actual number of Allied troops has not yet been published, but military authorities in Washington point out that there are four United States ground armies to one British army, which includes Poles, Czechs, Dutch and Belgians. Field-Marshal Montgomery's Canadian First Army and the British Second Army are holding probably 100 to 120 miles of the 500-mile line, and the four American armies about 300 miles. Units of the French army hold about 80 miles. The British and Canadians have ten infantry and four armoured divisions in the line, while the Americans have seven armoured and 25 infantry divisions. The London Evening News lias suggested that General Eisenhower should appoint Field-Marshal Alexander as his ' deputv or pick the best subordinate to run the land battle.