GAINS ALONG SAAR

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24437, 11 December 1944, Page 5

GAINS ALONG SAAR

3rd Army Extends Bridgeheads

PATROLS ACTIVE ON ROER

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

(Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. IC. On the Western. Front the American 3rd Army has strengthened and in some places extended its bridgeheads over the Saar river. One American spearhead was reported last night to have pressed to within four miles of Saarbruecken. •To the south, 3rd Army forces have gained new ground near the town of Saarguemines. German tank concentrations on the Saar front were heavily attacked by Allied bombers yesterday. In the north, American 9th Amy patrols have been clearing minefields left by the Germans when they abandoned the west bank of the Roer river, east of Aachen. A correspondent with the 9th Army says the Germans yesterday tried to launch a coun-ter-attack at the northern end of the American line, but the attempt was broken up by American artillery. In the lower Vosges the French Ist Amy has cleared the Germans from more positions, including most of the town of Thann. To-day’s communique from Supreme Allied Headquarters says;— “Organised resistance has ceased west of the Roer river in the Juelich area. In this area we are encountering light artillery and mortar fire. We have repulsed enemy attempts to regain a hill east of Bergstein (south of Dueren). „ “Our units'in the Saar valley are strengthening their bridgehead across the Saar river in the Dillingen and Saarlouis areas. Patrols have reached the village of Neunkirchen, one mile east of Saarguemines. Other units have reached Weisweiler and Wolflingen, both about five miles southeast of Saarguemines. 4 • “We have made gams on both sides of the Lower Vosges and have • cleared Niederbounn, 12 miles northwest of Haguenau (15 miles north of Strasbourg). ‘‘After two days of fighting we have cleared most of Thann and made further progress in this area of the southern High Vosges. “The enemy , is stubbornly resisting our efforts to extend the bridgehead over the Doller river at Muelhouse.”

.“Heavy fighting has continued for the Dillingen bridgehead across the Saar, three miles below Saarlouis,”

says Reuter’s correspondent with the 3rd Army. "American infantry have made small gains, including -the capture of a fortified railway station. Other infantry broke through the Maginot Line fortifications at Aachen, seven miles south-east of Saarguemines. Artillery broke up German counter-attacks. ■ “The United States 9th Army, fighting in a heavy snowstorm, cleared out the Juelich sports stadium, thus finally eliminating the Germans from that part of the town west of the Roer river.

“The Germans cut another Lower Rhine dyke, flooding a further four or

five miles of countryside on the Canadian sector in Holland. * "Bombers attacked German tank concentrations at Dillingen, while American artillery laid down a barrage on anti-aircraft positions. Aeroplanes also swooped low over the American infantry and dropped bottles of blood plasma, wrapped in blankets, which was immediately used to treat wounded and shock cases.”

RESPONSIBILITY FOR FIGHTING

“DISTRUST OF LEFT, FEAR OF RIGHT”

VIEW OF “THE TIMES” (Rec. 8 p.m.) LONDON. Dec. 9. “The immediate responsibility for the resort to arms rests heavily upon the leaders of the National Liberation Front (the EAM),” says “The Times in a leading article, commenting on the debate in the House of Commons. "There can be no possible dissent from Mr Churchill’s view that the activities of private armies must be fatal for the processes of democracy. “The issue of responsibility cannot, however, be so simply settled. The coup d’etat which the National Liberation Front attempted has antecedents in which both the British and the Royal Greek governments have had their share. . “It was and is the firm belief ol many in Greece and Britain that on several occasions British influence has been exerted in the direction of mantaining the monarchy, witfy all its implications for manj Greeks, against deep-set popular doubts. “If there was justification for the distrust of the Left which Mr Churchill has explicitly stated to have been the basis of British policy and initiative in recent Greek affairs, there is at least equal justification for the fear of the Right' which has driven many ordinary Greeks, besides a minority of ambitious and terrorist leaders, into revolt and a general strike. “Nobody will contest the condition which Mr Churchill and Mr Eden have laid down, that the Greek people should be enabled to express their will without fear or prejudice at a General Election; but it must be made unmistakably clear that this, and this alone, is the objective of British action, and that every endeavour is being made by Britain’s representatives, not only to secure the establishment of a wide coalition but also to ensure that the coalition embraces the policies as well as the persons of the spokesmen of Left resistance.”