"MAJOR ENEMY FORCES"

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24279, 9 June 1944, Page 5

"MAJOR ENEMY FORCES"

German Command Statement HEAVY FIGHTING REPORTED (N.Z. Press Association-Copyright) LONDON, June 7. Wednesday’s German High Command communique saldr "Enemy landing operations between Le Havre and Cherbourg on Tuesday were supported by strong naval forces. "All day numerous air-borne formations, which descended in the rear of our coastal defences, had the mission of helping the'landing and preventing the Germans from bringing up reserves, Most of the air-borne troops have been wiped out. Large losses were also inflicted by anti-aircraft defences during the air-borne troops’ descent, "The enemy at several point) has succeeded in gaining a foothold, but most of his bridgeheads have been smashed up by counterattacks. "Heavy fighting against major enemy forces flared up on either side of the mouth of the Orhe river, and also north of Carentan, where the enemy, who suffered heavy lossos, succeeded in holding his bridgeheads," The Official German News Agency quoted a Berlin military spokesman as saying: "The Battle of Normandy began early to-day (Wednesday). Massed formations of German operational reserves, assembled overnight! are now attacking the landing area between Caen and Bayeux with terrific ferocity. “The German High Command waited during the first day to see how the enemy plan, would materialise, but it has now given its orders.’’; The news agency said that the enemy bridgehead was extending on either side of the Orne river, It was about 20 miles wide and at some points about six miles deep. A German war reporter earlier said on the Berlin radio that a grim battle was raging in the Caen area, where the Allies had established a fairly large bridgehead. The Allies, he said, had thrown more than 100 tanks into the attack and special German detachments had been employed. ’ The German Overseas News Agency admitted that British' tank formations from the Orne bridgehead had driven south-west towards Bayeux, but claimed that they had not yet been able to reach that town. A» German Overseas News Agency commentator said that an increasing number of tanks was being thrown in by both sides. “The enemy is all out to extend his bridgehead," he said. "German counter-pressure is growing and heavy battles developed, which this morning were still mounting in violence. "Outstanding features in the invasion theatre on Wednesday morning Were the resumption of enemy amphibious landings on a grand scale effected under cover of night, and the growing effectiveness of the mobile German formations. "The enemy is continuing to concentrate on the strip of coast between the mouth of the Vire and the Orne, where he is' making every effort to throw in most of his reserves. The Germans have nowhere thrown in strategic reserves." Cherbourg Peninsula The Berlin radio’s commentator (Captain Sertorius) said; "The airborne troops who landed yesterday between Valognes and Carentan (on the Cherbourg Peninsula) have been reinforced and have linked up with the Allied troops landed from the sea.’ He added that German counter-action was being taken, "The fact that the Allies have a foothold on both sides of the Orne estuary and a minor beachhead on the eastern side of the Normandy (Cherbourg) Peninsula does not mean that the initial stages of the operations has been passed,” said Serlohus. ‘ The German counter-attack which is in progress at the moment has not reached its full strength. “The scale on which the enemy is using paratroops is without, precedent, and these landings are still going on. The enemy continues to diop very strong paratroop forces, and his glider formations are still coming down plentifully. North of Carentan, where the British and Americans succeeded in surprising the German coastal forces, they have cleared a path from the rear. , . _ “We will not deny that the German defences are occasionally very heavily taxed. , , ' "The British Navy has played an outstanding role in the invasion by wrapping the bridgeheads in a sheet of fire.” The Official German News Agency says that General Montgomery has moved the main weight of his action towards the Cherbourg Peninsula. Airborne formations, about one division strong, have come into action on the west coast in the area north of Goutances They have been given the task of chopping off the peninsula towards the south and they supplement an American air-borne formation which is offering tenacious resistance between Carentan and St. Mere Eglise, on the east side of the peninsula. A German war reporter said that about 300 Allied aeroplanes were used to land troops on the western side of the peninsula. The landing actually occurred between Lessay and GoUtances, Other parachute landings occurred on the eastern coast, in the neighbourhood of Trouville. Landing 40 Miles Inland The German News Agency late this evening announced that Allied airborne landings had been made in the Falaise and Argentan areas. He added that the landing forces had advanced with infantry and troops on cycles (These places lie some 32 md 40 miles respectively inland from the coast on the road running south-east from Caen, and the landing would mean the deepest air-borne penetration yet reported.) The German News Agency says that in the interior of the bridgehead many German strongpoints—bunkers in which German defenders are manning machine-guns—are still holding out against incessant attacks by British and Canadian forces and against (ire from British and American balllcsaips. A war reporter said that a German formation smashed through the British beachhead positions on the eastern bank of the Orne and liberated- the encircled garrison of a German stronghold which had held out for 30 hours against ftumerous enemy attacks. Another reporter said that the glare of the Invasion battle in the Caen region could be seen for many miles last night. "We could see the town of Caen and villages devoured by Are burning like blazing torches," he said. i

“A strong flest of Allied landing craft and lishi warships this morning attempted to establish another beachhead east of Cap de la Hague Uhe north-western tip of the peninsula i,” Said the Beilin radio. •‘Furious fire from German batteries, in which landing vessels were directly hit. forced the formation to turn away behind a smokescreen. Three troop-carrying craft were sunk and several lankcarriers were set orr}iire.”