NANCY FREED

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24365, 18 September 1944, Page 5

NANCY FREED

Allies Advancing Beyond City ACROSS MOSELLE IN STRENGTH (Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDON. Sept. 17. The American 3rd Army, on the Moselle, is stated to be across the river in strength. Elements have advanced a considerable distance east of Nancy, according to a Supreme Headquarters statement. The 3rd Army, assisted by French forces of the Interior, has liberated Nancy. “It is officially confirmed that all the Nancy area is now in American hands,” reported Reuter’s correspondent at 3rd Army Headquarters yesterday. “The Allies are operating freely in the Thionvllle area (on the Moselle, north of Metz), but exact locations cannot at present be disclosed. The attack on the Metz area is continuing.

The British United Press correspondent earlier reported the capture of Epinal, (40 miles south of Nancy), which is the southernmost point of the advance on the Moselle. “The American armour which crossed the Moselle has wheeled north to cut behind Metz in a manoeuvre threatefiing to outflank the town,” says the Associated Press correspondent with the American 3rd Army. “The Americans in the Nancy area are driving north on the east side of the Moselle. ~ “A 3rd Army spokesman said: The battle of the Moselle has taken a definite turn in our favour although there is still hard fighting ahead.’ “There is artillery duelling across the river in the Thionville area, where the 3rd Army holds part of the town on the western bank of the Moselle. “Krupp guns and ammunition captured in a section of the Maginot Line are being used to shell the German positions in Thionville. “The 3rd Army in its thrust to Nancy is estimated to have killed 4000 Germans and taken 3500 prisoners. “The Germans launched three violent counter-attacks against our lines near Pont-a-Mousson. on the Moselle, midway between Nancy and Metz, but all were stemmed. “Von Rundstedt. who was relieved of the post of German commander-in-chief after the St. Lo break-through, is reported to be again commanding the German army in the west.”