HITLER IN COMMAND

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 133, 7 June 1944, Page 6

HITLER IN COMMAND

News Received in London Rec. 12.15 p.m. LONDON, June 6. Hitler is taking personal command of all the anti-invasion operations, according to news reaching London from underground sources, says Reuters correspondent. He is surrounded by a brilliant staff, comprising four marshals, including yon Rundstedt, the titular commander-in-chief, and Rommel. Hitler is believed to have moved his headquarters to somewhere in northern France, to be nearer the scene of operations. Under Rundstedt are co-ordinated the navy, army, and air force headquarters under the respective command of Admiral Raeder, Field-Marshal Sperle, and Rundstedt himself. He has two army groups, of which the northern group is commanded by Field-Marshal Rommel, and the southern front, comprising the Bay of Biscay and the Mediterranean area, by FieldMarshal yon Blaskowitz. —U.P.A. and 8.0. W.

tween Carentan and Valognes. They were strongly reinforced in the morning and the afternoon. Bitter fighting is still in progress." Pilots of photo reconnaissance planes report that the Allied landing forces have established a beach-head on the northern French coast and are slashing their way inland. Swedish correspondents reported from Germany that the Allies landed at 12 points between the Orne and Vire Rivers, the central assault being directed at Caen. The .German radio described it as an operation in the grand style, and admitted that Normandy had been penetrated by airborne troops in great depth. The German news agency says: "An Anglo-American attack on the Seine Estuary and Normandy is an operation of great scope. Its extent goes far beyond a commando action, and it must undoubtedly be considered the first stage of invasion. The Allied High Command apparently aims to use the river estuaries between Le Havre and Cherbourg to enable the landing of further offensive formations with heavy weapons under the protection of firm bridgeheads. Airborne attacks against Normandy are being staged rather deep inland, obviously being designed to capture airfields so as to enable transport gliders and other large transport planes to bring in troops and heavy weapons. The Allies' intention also seems to be to capture Cherbourg harbour as quickly as possible. A National Broadcasting Company reporter who flew over the invasion coast this morning said that not a single German coastal gun was firing in the entire invasion zone.

Paris radio said: "The battle in Normandy seems to be gaining in depth. Numerous landings have been made all along the coast from air and sea, and more concentrations have been observed further north."

• The German news agency says that new landings were made before noon. Tanks have been landed in the Arromanches area. Landings continue in Seine Bay. Landing barges, under a strong air umbrella, are making landings near Ouistreham. Berlin radio quoting a German communique, claimed that the German forces were not taken by surprise, and also claimed that the Allies suffered particularly heavy reverses in the Caen area.

At least four British and American airborne divisions are in action between Le Havre and Cherbourg, with more strong airborne formations in the Orne Estuary, says the German radio. Strong winds, rains, and showers harassed landing craft laden with tanks and troops. They tried to evade withering fire from the shore. There was heavy Allied bombing, but the entire fortifications of the Atlantic Wall are in action in this area. Strong Allied air attacks are being made in the Dieppe area.