ENEMY DESPERATION

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 75, 26 September 1944, Page 5

ENEMY DESPERATION

; ATTEMPTS ON CORRIDOR Rec 12.40 p.m. RUGBY, Sept. 25. The Germans threw more tanks and fresh infantrymen into a desperate but futile battle to cut the corridor around the town of Veghel today as advance reconnaissance patrols of General Dempsey's forces reached Polish troops on the south bank of the upper Rhine before Arnhem, says a correspondent in Holland. Over 30 German tanks, dozens of self-propelled guns, and scores of' Vehicles were destroyed. Infantrymen attacked the major crossroads. of ~ the town. The American airborne troops who opened the corridor on Sunday, and Bx'itish armoured troops, launched an attack shortly before noon today and forced the Germans from a road which was temporarily cut yesterday. The main German efforts were from the southeast, while co-ordinated armour and infantry attacked Veghel unsuccessfully from the northwest. Rain and low clouds hampered the air support, which, yesterday temporarily broke up German tank concentrations and destroyed three and left six smoking. American airborne infantrymen with bazookas and mortal's were attacking the enemy tanks through the low, muddy plains. The enemy tanks were also suffering heavy pounding from American airborne artillery, supported by Bi-itish guns. The German tanks shelling Veghel and the road beyond towards Uden were forced to withdraw.

\ British armoured columns east and west of Eindhoven have widened the corridor to 16 miles. They -are fighting* at Middelbeers, nine miles west of Eindhoven, arid Helmond, six miles to the", north. The main strength of General Dempsey's spearhead captured a village 6£ miles south-west of Arnhem last evening.—B.O.W.