BRIEF EARLY REPORT

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 281, 24 August 1944, Page 5

BRIEF EARLY REPORT

Battle Inside Paris (British Official Wireless and Press Assn.) (Received August 23, 7 p.m.) RUGBY, August 22. The commander-in-chief of the French Forces of the Interior, General Koenig, in a communique tonight states: “The F.F.1., supported by light artillery, have attacked the Germans in Paris, with losses on both sides.” Paris radio again broke its silence tonight, warning the population of Paris that resistance continued and that there could not be a greater danger for the city than for the population to give in to irresponsible appeals. The announcer added that the German Army would continue to employ drastic measures to smash all attempts of resistance. He appealed to Parisians to return to work because “your lives and your city are at stake.” Lille radio, which the Germans used for broadcasting to the French since the Allies approached Paris, went off the air this afternoon. It was the last French radio still operating. General Koenig reports that the F.F.I. has liberated 14 of the 90 departments of France not counting those liberated by the Allied armies in conjunction with the F.F.I. in north-western France. Large enemy forces are being mopped up in these 14 departments. The towns liberated include Limoges, Perigueux, Chateauroux, Agen, Moutaban, Rodeo, Pau, Toulouse and Le Pui. The F.F.I. has blown up the bridge at Beziers, on the south coast, stopping a German division from moving to the south-east. In its campaign so far the Maquis have freed a broad line between, but as yet not quite linking up with the Allied armies in northern and southern France. The British United Press correspondent at Inin says that German soldiers at St. Jean-dc-Luz are throwing their ammunition and rifles into the sea. A French women who was there last night confirmed the report that the Germans were getting out as fast as possible. The British United Press correspondent at Geneva says that the F.F.I. hoisted the Tricolour at Bellegarde, which is a strongly fortified German stronghold on the Swiss frontier and which the Maquis once captured, but lost. It finally fell to mortars and 77-millimetre guns captured from the Germans. Rebuilding France.

General de Gaulle, who is travelling through France, reached Rennes, capital of Brittany, last night after visiting the bombed towns of Coutances and Avranches, says the British United Press correspondent. Ten thousand people, standing in driving rain, cheered him at Rennes. In a speech there. General de Gaulle said : “Our immediate duty is to carry the war to a victorious end, but also we must rebuild to bring France to her rightful place among the nations. Algiers radio stated that numbers of the Lava] Government are leaving Belfort, eastern France, for another destination. German S.S. troops control the town. The Paris-Belfort line has been cut.

The Maquis have joined battle with (he Germans for (lie possession of Belfort. Belfort is strongly guarded by the Germans and is the key to the gap linking central France with the Rhine. “This city of 20,000 inhabitants quickly began its part of the task of preparing for the rebirth of France,” says an Exchange Telephaph Agency correspondent at Aix, capital of Provence, -the patriots replaced Vichy’s mayor less than two hours after the entry of the first American troops yesterday morning. A stream of collaborators, including women, were soon arriving in front of the mayor s parlour under an armed guard while an angry crowd jeered. Subsequently the people, with deep emotion, sang the ‘Marseillaise’ ami the ‘lnternational. “Meanwhile, the Americans, many ot whom had walked and fought the whole of the GO miles from the landing beaches, slept on the quieter roadways and pavements.”