Allies Driving North From Nijmegen

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24369, 22 September 1944, Page 5

Allies Driving North From Nijmegen

FIGHTING ROUND ARNHEM

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

(Rkc, 11 p.m.)

LONDON, September 21.

In Holland the important road bridge across the river Waal at Nfijmegen has been captured intact. Already armoured elements are advancing across it, speeding up the advance towards Arnhem, which is 10 miles to the north, on the Neder Rijn, the other of the two main branches into which the Rhine divides near the Dutch-German /border.

i A 8.8. G. reporter says that the bridge was captured late last I evening by troops of the British 2nd Army and American air-borne 3 forces. The air-borne forces were already across the river and f launched an assault in the enemy’s rear. The Germans were given no time to demolish the bridge. The Waal at this point is 300 yards wide. The reporter adds that bitter and confused fighting continues round Arnhem.

To-day’s communique from Supreme Headquarters says that the base of the Nijmegen salient has been widened, and air-borne landings have further reinforced the troops in Holland. In Belgium further advances have been made on the line of the Leopold Canal (northeast of Bruges) and in the area west of Antwerp.

The communique also reports stiff fighting in Germany, east of Aachen and east of the Luxemburg border. The Germans are resisting stubbornly in the Metz area. The Allies have advanced in the whole of the sector north-west of Belfort.

Reuter’s correspondent with the Canadian Ist Army says that Polish units at the northern end of the Canadian coastal sector in Holland have reached the Schelde on a six-mile front. The Poles are now on the outskirts of Terneuzen and have reached the Schelde estuary at several places east of the town. They are encountering slight German opposition, indicating that the majority of the Germans have evacuated the area.

“Bitter fighting: continues in the Arnhem area,” reports the representative of the Combined Press ■with the Allied air-borne forces in a message lodged at 1 p.m. on Wednesday. “There have been moments when the position looked very sticky, but you would never know

it from the faces of the men dug in under hedges along the roadside, and behind trees.

“Hopes have gone up this afternoon because of the arrival of two separate lots of Stirlings and Douglas’s with much-needed supplies. They flew through murderous flak to drop them. Some of the aeroplanes burst into flames. “Our ears on this fourth day arc wide .open to the sound of guns 10 miles^ 1 away as the 2nd Army approaches to relieve this surrounded hunch of fighting men. “The enemy is being steadily reinforced, especially with anti-air-crftft guns. Sniping goes on continuously, but the mortar fire is the Worst,

“The Germans in a nearby town /are sniping from houses, and are i even sniping medical units. “It isthe most relentless fighting I have ever seen. There is no quarter. That is the way it has to be.’*

. “One of the bitterest battles of the tvar in the west is raging for the Rhine bridges at Nijmegen,” reported the British United Press correspondent with the British forces in a dispatch filed yesterday before the capture of the road bridge. “They are the most important bridges in Europe. With these in his hands, LieutenantGeneral Dempsey will be able to sweep on and relieve the air-borne forces at Arnhem and push east to Germany, turning the Siegfried defences and the Rhine alike.

“SHORTEST WAY TO BERLIN”

DRIVE FROM NORTH

OF HOLLAND

“There are two main bridges. One carries the road over the river, which is 500 yards wide at this point. Another bridge carries the railway. They are massive structures, one of concrete and the other of steel.

“Heavy fighting is going on in the streets of Nijmegen. Great fires are blazing. Columns of smoke are swirling over the river and the northern bank beyond. “Our armoured patrols north-east of the town are ranging along the banks of the Waal. They are the first Allied units reported to have reached this branch of the Rhine.” Another British United Press correspondent near the Rhine reported: “A dozen different fights are going on simultaneously in this swirling battle for the river crossings. The battle is flaring up at many points all along the roads inside and outside Nijmegen. It is a weird, savage battle in the mists, with guns blazing and shells ripping from tanks amd machine-guns chattering. Amid the fires of Nijmegen another battle is going on within the main framework of the battle for the bridges.

“German .forces threatened with encirclement by the development of the British advvance are attacking our advanced columns in a bid D- plough their way through to the German frontier. Enemy infantry and armoured cans are charging in Balaclava style, in sorties which take on the aspect of small-scale battle. About 100.000 Germans are west of the Nijraegen-Eindhoven line. If we hurdle the Rhine rapidly and push on with speed all of them will be endangered.”

WASHINGTON COMMENT (Rec. 10 p.m.) NEW YORK. Sept. 21. “The main Allied drive to Berlin will be in the north, from Holland,’/ says the Washington correspondent of the New York newspaper “P.M.” “If a northern breach is effected, military experts predict that unconditional capitulation will be a matter of days, perhaps hours. . “The northern drive represents the shortest route to Berlin —300 miles from the eastern border of Holland. If this northern drive is successful, one of the most powerful defence areas of Germany’s West Wall will be avoided. “The terrain in the north is suitable for tanks, and the area also has the weakest of the German defences. In addition, there are many North Sea ports which the Allies will need for rushing reinforcements and supplies to the armies driving into the German defences. “Pressure on the Siegfried Line round Aachen and Metz will not be relaxed; but if the Allies succeed in flanking the main defences in the north, German resistance in the south will be useless.” “The first invasion of Berlin may come from the sky,” said a spokesman at the United States War Department, when commenting on the success of the air-borne operations in Holland Lieutenant-General Giles, deputycommander of the United States Army Air Forces, said: “If an air-borne army lands in Berlin it will stay there until the ground forces join it,” War Department officials also indicated that air-borne armies were expected to play a large part in the Pacific, particularly in China.

German Report

A Gterman war reporter, in a message from the Dutch frontier on Wednesday night, said: “Some Allied airborne, troops came down in batches inside Germany. They have now been driven back to Holland, where they comprise part of the Allied force we are attacking in the Arnhem sector. We [have rushed German fighter squadrony. to Arnhem, also fresh German infantry units. The Allies are using inahy very heavy mortars, with which they arc shelling the German attackers." Another Berlin radio commentator declared that the critical phase had begun in the battle against the Allied Bir-borne forces in Holland. “The ■Aihes a* now linking up in a big «'ay. They have greatly increased the Sm S tu re ’ n llle Aachen-Stolberg area, the German defences are firm." n n i£ the Canadian Army sector of boflr ern , an advance has east °t Eecloo.” says a cor“AcJi n jt at Supreme Headquarters. AManede has been captured. r °hg forces are operating in the Brijoo? tu Dutch border east of tho V s ’ , they have not yet crossed mo e D » old • CanaL A goo£ deal' of Beran 2 ?# ’’•F I s in progress in this area. the waterlogged nature of n n ® r 9t’-nd, action is restricted. arp J ,?r„ii e coast - Calais and Dunkirk ■t|» in,;, 611 ' contained and enemy’ morale stm°v!n Cap Gris Nez garrison is < ara -Vm - g out an< t the coastal guns pp 5 " 1 . 1 m action. Brminn use d fighting continues in the area, hv iif 1 ? ll ave been further supplies r air to the air-borne forces in Hoi-

General Strike in Denmark.—A general strike continues in Denmark and there are sporadic outbreaks of gunfire in Copenhagen, according to the Free Danish press service. All ports in Denmark are closed. The ferry service between Denmark and Sweden is not running. The Germans have interned many Danish policemen and they sent some on a German ship, which sailed last night, presumably to the Reich.—London, September 20. U.S. Ambassadors Nominated.—Mr Roosevelt has nominated Mr Charles Sawyer as United States Ambassador to Belgium and Minister to Luxemburg; Mr Stanley K. Bornhcck as Ambassador to the Netherlands; Mr Arthur Bliss Lane as Ambassador to the Polish Government in exile; Mr Richard G, Patterson as Ambassador to the. Jugoslav Government in exile; and Mr Lithgow Osborne as Ambassador to the Norwegian Government in exile.— Washington. September 20.

land. The weather has been bad for air operations.” “Polish troops .drove further into Holland to-day (Wednesday! and elements are now in Zaamstag,” reported Reuter's correspondent yesterday. “The Germans are withdrawing in face of the Polish onslaught across the Hulst Canal, over which tligy have two bridges. Th<> P9les. are reported to have* captured the towns of Hulst and Axel. Thi? is the first sign for mpre than a week that German resistance is slackening in the Schelde area.” The Official German News Agency says; “The fighting in southern Holland is constantly increasing. Both sides are bringing up new re’ 1 ’’-cements. It is estimated that three Allied air-borne divisions have landed."