NEAR OUTSKIRTS OF PARIS

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 278, 21 August 1944, Page 5

NEAR OUTSKIRTS OF PARIS

Allies Reach Seine POLICE JOIN F.F.1.; VICHY FLIGHT Slaughter In Normandy (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Received August 20, 11.25 p.m.) LONDON, August 20. General Patton’s forces, which are reported to include a French armoured are closing in on Paris, and patrols are unofficially said to be nearing the outskirt• are thrusting south of the capital. To the west, according to Berlin, fighting has opened on the Seine. It is known that American forces are in the vicinity of Mantes, half-way between Paris and Rouen, thus cutting off the. Seventh Army from Pans. . Polish and American forces have linked up north-east of Argentan, closing the Noimandy pocket, where the remnants of Field Marshal von Kluge s army are being systematically wiped out. The Germans seem to be fighting to the death, and a staff officer describes the work of the British artillery as “slaughter. In the south of France the Allies have advanced over 50 inland at one point .and

are moving north-west of Toulon. A special communique from the French Forces of the Interior announced that all the police force of the department of Seine et Oise has joined the F.F.I. Seine et Oise is the department enclosing Paris, and it takes in what the Germans describe as the battle area round the capital Nantes, Rambouillet, Ablis and Etampes. n • • l The Allied entry into Paris is expected any time, says the British United Press correspondent at Madrid. The Paris boulevards are thronged with crowds of people singing famous songs of the last war as they wait so greet the Allied armies. German uniforms are now scarcely seen in the streets, while the roads running east from the capital are crowded with collaborationists in full flight. All public buildings and cinemas are closed. Reports reaching Madrid state that an American column south-west of Paris is pushing out on the main road to Vichy, and has already reached the outskirts of the important road junction of Chateauroux, while Maquis forces 90 miles south-west of Chateauroux are advancing through Limoges to link up with the Americans in a great bid to cut France in two, trapping the Germans left along the south-west Atlantic coastline and along the Spanish frontier. . Algiers radio says that the French Forces of the Interior in general control Vichy, where they have established their own courts. The Swiss radio says the Maquis has encircled the important centre Grenoble, in south-east France. A German Foreign Office spokesman announced that in view of the present events the Vichy Government was considering transferring to another unspecified locality, and it was possible the move was already under way. The spokesman added that Laval was not in Paris.

Forward'elements, advancing from the south in the Argentan area, have moved up to Chamois and closed the mouth ot the Falaise gap, said a correspondent at the supreme headquarters in a late night dispatch. Heavy but spasmodic lighting is continiung in the pocket, which is steadily contracting on every side. There is still no sign of any mass surrender of the enemy fighting inside the pocket. “The Germans are reeling back rapidly, and there is no question of our getting to the Seine without difficulty. Von Kluge will take one jump back to the Seine; I do not think he will hold us there, but he may fall back to a narrower front.” This statement was made by a senior staff officer at General Dempsey’s headquarters, says Reuter's correspondcut. Terrific Confusion. The correspondent adds that the terrific confusion and chaos inside the German pocket, which is less than 100 miles square, make air targets difficult. The British United Press correspondent with the Canadians says the air attack on the German formations fleeing from the Normandy bag was resumed in full strength yesterday morning when Normandy-based fighters and fighterbombers attacked a concentration of about 1000 vehicles sighted on the escape route past Trun. The Exchange Telegraph correspondent with the Canadians says that enemy armour is still making desperate efforts to keep the gap open, and the fighting has been particularly fierce during the night and this morning. The enemy yesterday afternoon threw in a crack panzer formation against Polish tanks. A battle royal went on for several hours till darkness, and was resumed this morning. The enemy failed to drive the Poles back.

PURSUIT PHASE IN FRANCE

Decisive Victory

LONDON, August 18. “The first and decisive battle of Normandy is certainly won, and the enemy’s power to resist again effectively in France is gone,” said a high British staff officer at General Montgomery’s headquarters, quoted by the British United Press correspondent.

The officer added: “We go forward into the phase of pursuit 'battles. The enemy is unable to conduct anything but rearguard actions. The Germans sent their reserve army across the Seine to try to stop the gaps, but because of its lack of mobility it arrived not in bulk, but in series, and arrived too late.” A few weeks ago there had been probably about 25 divisions north of the Seine; now it wa 6 likely that they had 'been reduced to 10 divisions.

“Very large concentrations of motor vehicles, tanks, and artillery are in the pocket round Trun, trying to get out,” said the officer. “Till yesterday there was il steady seep. Then came a conclusive attempt by S.S. divisions as they realized that the trap was closing. The enemy now has only one route to withdraw north-east of the Seine, as the Paris gap isn’t available. There are no signs of preparations to hold the Seine in strength, nor is it possible to see where the enemy could get the manpower.” Asked what strength was left in Germany, the officer said: “What he has left in Germany is muck.” He added: “Any notion the Germans had of roping off the Allies in north-western France has now gone. The German defeat is attributable to their lack of appreciation of the Allied strategy.” Nazi Strategy Examined.

Discussing what the German forces in north-western France might have done had they appreciated the Allied strategy, the officer said: “With their Fifteenth Army north of the Seine they could have done three things: Reinforce their two commands in Normandy, hold it to man the Seine line, or send it to (he eastern front to meet the Russian threat. They decided to send the army across the Seine, 'but it arrived too late. A. second' reason for the German position is their expectation of another landing on a stretch of coast closer to England. “Tlie result of all this is that the enemy no longer has an army on the Seine. The American eastward drive caught him off baalnce, and swiftly severed 00 per cent, of his lines of communication for the forces still operating in Normandy.

“Most of the enemy's dumps were overrun, which left only the Seine ferries as the main supply line. Owing to an entire lack of tactical reconnaissance.

the enemy never knew where the Allies were on his flank. Even his administration units stayed too long. • ‘‘Finally, it appears he was using S.S. divisions in an effort to steer . the infantry back in an orderly fashion, but the S.S. divisions realized they were in a bad spot themselves, and dashed away, leaving the infantry. There are elements of 12 infantry divisions, three panzer paratroop divisions,. and four panzer divisions in the Falaise-Argentan area.” Grim British Pressure. “Most of the German divisions are after all still trapped in the pocket,” says the “Daily Telegraph’s” correspondent in Normandy. A headquarters staff officer told a correspondent: “It is open warfare almost along our entire front. .Some of our men have been fighting almost without a break for five days, but they carry on because they realize they arc in on the greatest defeat the Germans have suffered in western Europe. “If the pocket doesn’t collapse it may take a week to clear up. If it does, it may be rounded up in two or three days. There is every possibility of the troops inside the pocket fighting it out to the last man.” A broadcast from General Eisenhower s headquarters in Normandy states that after visiting advanced lines General Eisenhower predicted “final catastrophe for the Germans.” The German War Ministry, according to Berlin radio, has made the following official announcement: —“We must expect the loss of places with world-famous names.”

A military spokesman said: “No fresh German divisions can be sent to France. The troops in battle have been warned of this. They are ordered to fight to the last man. The High Command cannot be expected to use its reserves to hold the present front line in France.” Berlin radio has announced the death In Normandy of General Dietrich Kraiss, commander of the 352nd Infantry Division. He is the tenth German general killed since the invasion.

MAQUIS ENCIRCLE GRENOBLE

(Received August 20, 11.40 p.m.) LONDON, August 20. Reports from the French-Swiss frontier state that the German garrison at Chamonix has surrendered to the French Forces of the Interior. Fierce fighting is going on at Grenoble, where 17,000 partisans, after blocking the Alpine road by destroying 300 German vehicles, attacked the German garrison of 4000, The last point of German resistance In the Haute Savoie fell to the French Forces of the Interior today. Organized resistance at Annecy, the chief town of the region, collapsed, and the Maquis have moved in in strength. A majority of the 1200 men of the German garrison in Annecy, who had been ordered to resist to the’last, were taken prisoner. Allied planes during the whole of last night dropped ammunition and supplies to the Maquis by. parachute. Maquis forces totalling 150,000 have made contact with the Riviera invasion forces, sal’s the correspondent ,of the Associated Press of Great Britain in France. The “Gazette de Lausanne” reports that the Maquis are making strenuous efforts to seize alpine passes in the Grenoble region, from which the Allied forces advancing from the south would be able to overrun the Lyons region. Vio(ent fighting is also raging between the Maquis and Germans not far from the Spanish border. They are being assisted by reinforcements, from the north. They have occupied Saint Palais and Orthez and cut off the German communications with the north-west and west. Vichy Leaders’ Flight. Algiers radio yesterday morning broadcast detailed instructions to the population of Paris and suburbs. Workers were called on to strike with the exception of those employed in essential services such as the supply of gas, electricity, water and food. They were also told to arrest and hand over. to the Maquis all blacklegs. The German Ambassador, Otto Abetz, is reported to have left Paris. Reuter’s Zurich correspondent, quoting “usually reliable quarters,” said that Laval, Darnand, De Brinon, and other Vichyites, accompanied by high German officers, have arrived at Belfort, eastern France, where the seat of- the Government has been organized. German troops and S.S. men are rigorously suppressing demonstrations in the Belfort area.