DIFFICULT TASK

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 134, 4 December 1944, Page 6

DIFFICULT TASK

BRITISH SECOND ARMY

ATTACK -IN VENLO AREA

(By telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.) Rec. 2 p m. LONDON, Dec. 3. Reuters correspondent with the British Second Army says that the new attack in the Venlo area is not a largescale operation but, an important and difficult task over muddy terrain in the face of heavy artillery fire from across the Maas. The attack had armoured support, and some infantry rode into battle .on flame-throwers. Medium bombers simultaneously struck against German gun positions and strong-points. The British moved forward 600 yards over an anti-tank ditch 25 feet w-2f- ?£# thr°ugh a mine belt to within 1000 yards of the Maas. .General Dempsey's spokesman said: The attack is going according to plan. The opposition is not heavy." nnS^i ?u the American First Army captured three .towns today, says the Exchange Telegraph agency's correspondent with the First Army. They nf^« Luch£ rber/' Bramfcrberg, -and a^rt f h 3l fßran derberg ' which is ■ one Ssg^ fig: mopped up the town and then aS Si ae nCs c oduth^ dS ?e^ st?^ a mfle *& ce"t of 40 German bombeSwhich at J.he British United Press corrwnn-nA ent says that the approach to Sstetn RoeflW Fir + St A™y loop's ne?r SS SSSnF™* at a new V°int where the river loops westward. This means that the German-held territory between Bergstein and. Julich, 15 miles to the ? orJ h. has become a great "bag" which is steadily being squeezed back against lhfe• VGr y the advanfcin S Allied

Americans, of the Ninth Army rePulsed two counter-attacks east of Lmdern, and fighting continues at

Tanks of General Leclerc's forces driving south down the Rhine corridor to close the Germans' escape gap over the Rhine are tonight only seven miles £™^£ Colmar, says the American Seventh Army forces radio. ■>'■' Reuter points out that the exact position, of General de Tassigny's forces driving northward to link up with Creneral Leclerc's troops is uncertain, but unofficial reports put them in the area just south of Colmar, thus, making the^ escape gap little more than 10 mile's wide. t • The correspondent of the Associated Press; of " Great Britain with the Seventh Army says that the Americans, overcoming stiff resistance from tanks and-self-propelled guns, cleared Mackweiwer and entered Waldhambach, ■' 5i miles east of Saarunion. They also cleared Ingwiller..