REAL MEASURE OF SUCCESS

Dominion, Volume 38, Issue 4, 29 September 1944, Page 5

REAL MEASURE OF SUCCESS

Arnhem Troops’ Role In Corridor (British Official Wireless and Press Assn.) (Received September 2'B, 7 p.m.) RUGBY, September 27. In a general picture of the Arnhem operation a correspondent of the Allied supreme headquarters says: "I can state that the gallant defence by these men on this sector contributed largely to the plans which had been designed. It enabled the other elements to the south to hold the bridge crossing the Waal at Nijmegen, thus preventing enemy troops from coming south and assisting the other enemy units which were hard pressed generally along the Dutch frontier. , , m “To counter the operation at Arnhem the Germans were forced to use thtnr best troops, mainly of S.S. groups, lhe airborne operation kept them in the area and prevented their moving south to reinforce their comrades in the area or toward Nijmegen. It also caused them to suffer heavy casualties. “Had it not been for the bad weather this operation would have been an even greater success, but because of the bad conditions we were prevented from dropding adequate supplies and reinforcements at the time when fhey were most required. This greatly assisted the enemy in his counter-attacks. ‘‘When the decision to withdraw was taken it was necessary to impose a security ban so that the evacuation could be carried out a s successfully as possible. Reports indicate that the wounded who could not be evacuated arc being well treated by the Germans.’’