COMMUNIQUE

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24372, 26 September 1944, Page 5

COMMUNIQUE

tec. 1.30 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 25. To-day’s communique *from Supreme Hied Headquarters says;— "Fierce fighting continues in the Arnhem area, where we have succeeded in passing some reinforcements to the north bank of the river under cover of darkness. “Allied troops east of Nijmegen have entered German territory in the neighbourhood of the Reichswald Forest. ; I * “The area north of Vechel (15 miles north-east of Eindhoven), where enemy pressure was strong, has -been cleared after the repulse of a counterattack from the village of Erp (three miles east of Vechel). “East of Eindhoven our bridgehead over the Bois-le-Duc Canal has been

extended to the neighbourhood of Deurne. “Further west we have pushed the retreating enemy from the Escaut Canal to the Beneral line of the Antwerp-Turnhout Canal. “Our, troops in the Geilenkirchen area (in Germany, 15 miles north of Aachen) met concentrated medium artillery fire, which was countered. Patrol activity continues in this sector. "One of our units in the Roetgen area, south of Aachen, reduced a German strongpoint, and slight gains were made against stubborn enemy resistance. “We repulsed a German counterattack east of Aachen.” ORDER OF GARTER QUEEN WILHELMINA INVESTED LONDON, Sept. 24. The King inveslea Queen Wilhclmina of the Netherlands with the Order of the Garter on Sunday. Queen Wilhelmina is the only woman, besides the Queen and Queen Mary, to be a member of the Order of the Garter, and no other reigning Queen of a foreign- State has received the Order in all its 600 years of history since it was founded by Edward 111 in 1348.

“The King,” it is officially stated, “has chosen this appropriate moment for admitting Queen Wilhelmina to the highest and most noble of British orders of chivalry, to give expression to the respectful admiration felt by all of his subjects for the courage and steadfastness which the Queen has consistently shown since, an honoured and welcomed guest, her Majesty came to England four years ago.” The Queen and Princess Juliana were the only two others present, and Queen Wilhelmina and Princess Juliana afterwards lunched with the King and Queen. “ROCKET SHIPS” IN ACTION DEVASTATING EFFECT OF BRITISH WEAPON (Rec 8 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 25. The first detailed description of the rocket ship in action is given by a “Daily Telegraph” correspondent, who says that these rocket ships are one of Britain’s secret weapons. They made their debut in Sicily. The correspondent saw. rocket ships during the invasion of Normandy, operating against the village of Franceville, which was then crammed with Germans. He says that it was the most concentrated bombardment in the history of warfare. . ~ “The rocket ships are known in the Navy as ‘pipe-racks,’ because of their curious outline,” says the correspondent. “They have been the subject of awed discussion throughout the Fleet, and incredible stories are circulated about their devastating effect. These stories are not exaggerated. “The shoot was timed to last four minutes. Each craft sent up a handful of ranging shots. They soared up with a tremendous swish and were visible for several seconds. Then smoke-plumes at the water’s edge showed the accuracy of aim. The shoot then began in earnest. "The nearest rocket ship suddenly disappeared from sight as a monstrous