U.S. Troops Close In

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 11, 13 July 1944, Page 5

U.S. Troops Close In

BIG ROAD CENTRE

LONDON, July 12.

American troops, advancing at several points along a 50-mile front in Normandy, have today greatly increased their threat to two important enemy communication centres, the towns of Lessay and St. Lo. The most notable advances were made on both sides of St. Lo, which is the heart of all the main roads in this part of Normandy.

There is little change in the British sector south-west of Caen,

A correspondent with die Americans says that St. Lo is now directly threatened. •

of whom speak of very severe casualties suffered by other regiments.

Strong forces, fighting their way towards St. Lo from the east, have captured all the high ground on a ridge overlooking it, and were last known to be only a mile and a half from the outskirts. Other strong . American forces moving on St. Lo from the north are little more than two miles away.

The American advances in the centre of the Allied line have already had a notable effect on the position at the extreme western end of the front. The Germans have been compelled to withdraw their weakened forces in this area, and early this afternoon the Americans pushed forward two miles, and are now little riore than that dis-< tance from Lessay. These American successes followed quickly after the repulse of a second German counter-attack north-west of St. Lo. In this sector the enemy used and lost more armour than he has committed against the Americans in any one engagement since they landed in France. This second attempt to relieve the pressure on St. Lo was another failure. The Americans knocked out more than 20 or 35 heavy tanks which were thrown in by the enemy. This is the second crippling blow at the enemy armour in two days. In yesterday's fighting on the British sector south-west of Caen the enemy lost 40 tanks. The position in this sector today is that we still hold Eterville and Hill 112, which dominates the Orne Valley, and that the Germans are in Maltot, closer to the river, while Louvigny, between Maltot and Caen,