SCHELDE FRONT

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24386, 12 October 1944, Page 5

SCHELDE FRONT

ILL-HEALTH IN FRANCE

SEA LINK WITH NORWAY

Estuary Positions Improved HEAVY FIGHTING ON CANAL (N.Z Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 11. The British and Canadian troops which landed from the sea in the rear of the German pocket south of the Schelde estuary improved their positions yesterday east of -the coast town of Breskens (Breskens is on the mainland coast, directly opposite the port of Flushing, on Walcheren Island). South of the Schelde pocket there has been more heavy fighting on the Canadians’ bridgehead across the Leopold Canal. Reuter’s correspondent reported yesterday: “The Canadian push north of Antwerp towards the narrow neck of the causeway to South Beveland is being held up by vigorous German shelling. The Germans still hold the road and railway leading to Walcheren and Beveland islands, and they have brought up reinforcements.”

“The German shelling of the Canadian bridgehead' on the Leopold Canal is proportionately heavier than the ferocious bombardment at Anzio," says a correspondent. “It is the heaviest shelling the Canadians have received in *anv cpptnr in this pamnaicrn *

throwers to enlarge the bridgehead this morning. The flame-throwers came up along the opposite side of the canal and blasted a pillbox which was a centre of German resistance. Then the infantry cleared the area round the pillbox with bayonets and grenades.'

“Most of the troops in the amphibious landing behind the Germans’ Schelde pocket are Canadians. “The Germans are burning the town of Dunkirk. Civilians evacuated from the town last week say the Germans were then preparing to burn the houses. The enemy began destroying the port a month ago.” “The Canadians have extended their bridgehead over the Leopold Canal and there is now no fear that it may be lost,” reported a Canadian correspondent with the Canadian Ist Army yesterday. “Our infantry, after repulsing 30 counter-attacks in four days, took the offensive late on Monday, and is closing in against the main road running north to Aardenburg. The Germans have taken a severe beating in their attempts to throw the Canadians back into the canal.

“The beachhead in the north-eastern part of the Schelde pocket now has an average depth of 3500 yards and is 5000 yards wide. Inside the pocket there is still a considerable German force which is not yet committed." It is estimated that there are 10,000 Germans in the area between the Leopold Canal and the Schelde, and 7000 on the islands of Walcheren ahd North and South Beveland.

“DEEP MARKS LEFT BY OCCUPATION” NEED OF RELIEF BEFORE WINTER (Rec. 8 p.m.) ' LONDON, Oct. 11. “The German occupation has left, deep marks on the general health of the French people, especially in urban areas and the less fertile regions,” says the Paris correspondent *of "The Times.” “Further damage will be done unless urgent measures are taken before the winter to relieve the thousands still living in the ruins of Le Havre, Rouen, Caen, and other bombed cities. “The Germans’ wholesale requisitions and severe rationing have had a direct bearing on the nation’s health. The average Frenchman’s daily food before the war contained 2800 calories, but it contained only 959 calories by last January. A daily total of 2500 calories is required for normal health. “The most alarming consequence of the war is the increase of tuberculosis, in which malnutrition, overwork, and mental anguish have played a part. Other results of enemy occupation are lack of growth and weight among children and increases in all infectious diseases.

“There is a remarkable decrease in alcoholism, because of the Germans’ enormous requisitions of wines and spirits. This resulted in the almost co'mplete disappearance of the mental disturbances associated with alcohol T and also in a decrease in venereal disease-.” t - The Paris correspondent of the “Daily Express” says; “The exhilara-. tion which followed liberation is dying, and something else is taking its place—the cold realisation that this is going to be a hard winter.” Referring to Paris, the correspondent adds: “More and more things are being taken over for the military. This is causing bad feeling among civilians. The few taxis available have been reserved for military use. The Allies in the last few weeks have taken over 700 hotels, compared with the Germans' 500. Allied military officers have also moved into whole city blocks. Officers have reserved all the best living apartments, “Meanwnile the Metro . is utterly overcrowded, gas for cooking is weak and limited, and there is little hot water or domestic heating. The food situation, with the suppression of the black market, is becoming more difficult. , / . “The majority of homes in Pans are worrying about the 1,000,000 French soldiers who are still prisoners in Germany, the other 1.000,000 political prisoners held by the Germans, and also 1,000,000 Frenchmen who were coerced into working in Germany. ■ “It is claimed that many Germans and Vichyites are still hiding in Pans. There are occasional outbursts of shooting, with an average of three persons shot daily in the streets. Parisians, although they are finding military occupation burdensome, therefore feel that removal of the garrison now would cause trouble.” RUINS OF LE HAVRE LONDON, Oct. 10. “Civilian casualties at Le Havre total nearly 20,000, according to French journalists who accompanied General de Gaulle on his recent visit to the port,” says the “Daily Telegraph” correspondent in Paris. “Le Havre, to all intents and purposes, has disappeared. Nothing can be seen but ruins, under which thousands of civilians are still buried. “The final tragedy was a great fire which raged for several days. . “Thousands -of the inhabitants living among the ruins are ing a bare means of subsistence.”

ALLIES TO ATTACK ALL SHIPPING (Rec. 8 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 10. Supreme Allied Headquarters- last night issued warnings that the Allies would attack all ships seen off the coast of Norway, no matter what their size or character. Headquarters slated that it was at present necessary to cut sea communications between Norway and Germany “in the present critical stage of operations.” The Allies have hi herto refrained from attacking fishing and small coastal vessels except those which the Germans are believed to be using;