BERLIN CONFESSION

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 277, 19 August 1944, Page 7

BERLIN CONFESSION

Retreat From Normandy

LONDON, August 17.

The German news agency commentator Max Krull said: “The Normandy front has been liquidated by the German High Command. The German forces are withdrawing in an easterly direction. The cards are now being dealt for a new game.” The German High Command stated: “The enemy, after crossing the Eure near Dreux, brought up reinforcements from Chartres and drove three wedges between Chartres and Dreux toward the Seine. Our screen joined battle at Saint Arnoult. which is 23 miles from the Paris city limits, at Epernon. 30 miles, south-west of Paris, aud also south-east of Dreux. Grim and costly fighting is in progress. Both sides are continuously throwing in fresh reinforcements.” Reuter says that Epernon stands on the Route Nationale, 10 miles from Chartres through Rambouillet and Versailles —a concrete road which takes four cars abreast. It enters Paris from the south-west over a bridge across the Seine at St. Cloud. St. Arnoult is on a narrower road which enters from the south, thus avoiding bridges. The German news agency stated that strong American tank and motorized artillery formations, supported by large groups of bombers, attacked Chartres and Chateaudun, while two American spearheads by-passed the two cities and pushed further eastward in the direction of Paris. Heavy fighting is in progress on the roads from Chartres to Paris. The news agency also stated that there is ferocious fighting in the Orleans area. The German news agency admits that the Allies penetrated into Chartres.