INSIDE GERMANY

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24417, 17 November 1944, Page 5

INSIDE GERMANY

HIMMLER TO SUCCEED HITLER

REPORTS FROM NEUTRAL SOURCES (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Kec. 7 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 15. “Himmler has been formally appointed as Hitler’s successor, by order of Hitler himself at the Chancellery in Berlin two days ago, according to neutrals who have arrived in Sweden from Germany," says the "Daily Mail” correspondent in Stockholm. "Hitler was not present at the meeting, but he sent Hammers, head of the Nazi Party secretariat, to read a. proclamation stating: ‘I declare Heinrich Himmler my deputy and my successor.’ “Those present included Goebbels, Himmler, Boermann, Admiral Doenitz, Field-Marshal Keitel, and Kaltenbifunner. who is Himmler’s right-hand man,” "The Gestapo yesterday ‘ publicly hanged 21 persons in Cologne as part of a move to avert what appears to be a big crisis inside Germany,” reported the Zurich correspondent of the British United Press.

“There is now a ‘blind spot’ which covers an area some 130 miles in circumference in the heart of Germany in the area of Halle, Merseburg, Weissenfels, Naumburg, and Bitterfeld, which has been isolated for three days from all railway traffic. Railways inside the circle have been closed 4own over their .whole length. There are some 100,000 foreign workers inside the circle. What is happening there is unknown, but it is believed in well-informed quarters in Zurich that the isolation of the area can be attributed to a serious crisis. “Travellers arriving at Basle say that dangerous tension exists over the entire Rhine valley. Workers are refusing to carry on during Allied air raids. They flee from the factories as soon as the sirens sound, Transport in the area is chaotic, and coal deliveries from the Ruhr . have almost ceased, resulting in entire industries being brought to a standstill for ■weeks.

“The inhabitants of' Cologne are living like cave men amid the ruins of the town, where there is no gas and no electricity. Many of them have openly declared themselves against a continuation of the war.”

UNREST RESISTANCE GROUPS PROTESTING UNWILLINGNESS TO HAND IN ARMS (Roc. 10 p.m.) LONDON. Nov. 16. “Tension is mounting in Belgium following an order that members of the resistance movements should hand in their arms before the week-end,” says the British United Press correspondent in Brussels. “Posters and leaflets are appearing, protesting against the order. “One resistance leader .said: ‘Tell England that we faced German guns for four years do not fear Belgian reactionaries. \\c do not intend to give up our weapons. We know how to reply if the,gendarmes fire on us.’ “Another resistance official said: ‘The reactionary Belgian Government is disbanding us because we are demanding the punishment of collaborators and industrialists. We do not want to disperse. We wish to fight against the Germans as u. single force.’ “It is estimated that there are 60,000 members of resistance groups in Belgium, ’including 10,000 in Brussels. Only about one-tenth of them arc Communists.’’

RHINELAND AND RUHR FRENCH OCCUPATION LONDON, Nov. 15. “The German occupation zone allotted to France by the thnfe major Allies will cover the Rhineland and the Ruhr, in which Franco, for her security, is vitally interested,” says Reuter’s correspondent in Paris. “It is understood that the zone meets with General do Gaulle’s approval, and that France has already stated that she can furnish soldiers for the occupation.”

AIE ATTACKS ON GERMANY DORTMUND OIL PLANT RAIDED LONDON, Nov. IS. Lancasters, with a Mustang escort, attacked the synthetic oil plant at Dortmund in the Ruhr this afternoon. A message from Rome reports that unescorted Liberators and Flying Fortresses to-day attacked targets in the region of Linz and Innsbrueck. Heavy cloud covering both targets forced the aeroplanes to bomb by instruments. No enemy aircraft were encountered. Royal Aif Force Mosquitoes attacked Berlin this evening, dropping 40001b bombs. SCHELDEESTUARY STATEMENT MADE ON OPERATIONS (8.0. W.) RUGBY, Nov. 15. The operations to clear the Schelde Estuary were the subject of a statement in the House of Commons by the First Lord of the Admiralty (Mr A. V, Alexander). The First Lord said that these operations, which were undertaken by the Canadian Army, were planned to culminate in an attack on Walcheren Island, the most heavily defended area in the approaches to Antwerp. Attacks were to be made simultaneously across the south Beveland causeway, across the Schelde from Breskens to Flushing, and by a landing at Westkapelle mounted from Ostend. By breaching the dyke in three places, Royal Air Force bombers had previously flooded a large part of Walcheren, thus preventing mutual support by sections of the garrison and enabling the assault troops to use amphibious vehicles. The assault on Flushing was to be made by one commando landing from assault landing craft, and the assault at Westkapelle by three commando forces with supporting engineer troops. largely mounted in amphibious vehicles to be carried in tank landing craft. In view of the vital need to clear the Schelde as early as possible and the paramount advantages to be gained by simultaneous assaults, it was decided to proceed with ’the operations on the Schelde, in spite of the unfavourable weather. The commando landing was made at Flushing before dayjigkt on November 1 without casualties, and the troops were soon established on the waterfront. Three hours and a half later, in daylight, the Westkapelle force approached* the coast, and when close inshore was engaged by the doast defences. A gun support squadron stood close inshore and engaged the batteries at pointblank range while the landing craft were beached. This process was slow, as they could beach only two landing craft at a time in the gap previously breached by the Royal Air Force. Once ashore the commandos came up-against tough opposition at nearly all the enemy batteries and strongpoints. which they cleared. Diflflculties were experienced in landing stores for the force, and stores were dropped infantry brigade which was landed to reinforce the commandos put ashore at Flushing had heavy fighting before the town was finally cleared. Of the total of 25 support craft engaged, nine were sunk and wei£ damaged, and of the crews 172 officeis and men were killed and 200 were wounded. Of 47 other major landing craft engaged, four were sunk and others were damaged. Casualties in these cralt and in the attack on Fh.bhin« were 21 officers and men killed and missing, and 34 wounded. The Royal Marine commandos suffered Al officers and men killed, 37 missing, and 201 wounded.