ALLIED INVASION

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 116, 18 May 1944, Page 5

ALLIED INVASION

ROMMEL'S EXPECTATION (By Telograph—Press Association—Copyright.) Rec. 12.50 p.m. LONDON, May 17. "Invasion will begin at any moment," Field-Marshal Rommel told German troops during an inspection tour of the defences of the northern coasts of Europe, according to Berlin radio. The announcer added that German divisional commanders told Rommel that the defence troops were poised for an Allied landing and ready for the descent of massed paratroops. Paris radio's military commentator, Jean Paquis, said that neutral reports disclosed that General Eisenhower had massed 50 divisions and 80,000 paratroops in southern England for the Allied assault against Europe, while his armada consisted of transports, merchantmen, fishing boats, invasion barges, motor torpedo-boats, and destroyers which were concentrated in harbours in the south of England, particularly in the Bristol area. "The whereabouts of the Allied High Seas Fleet is not yet known," he said. "British and American invasion troops in the past eight days have massed at embarkation points, and all evidence indicates' that invasion will be launched sooner than some people may expect. It is impossible to give the exact date of invasion, but the German anti-invasion forces are on their toes. General Eisenhower won't be able to surprise them"