FRONT ACROSS ODON

Evening Star, Issue 25226, 13 July 1944, Page 5

FRONT ACROSS ODON

MONTGOMERY HOLDS INITIATIVE

GERMANS IN SERIOUS POSITION

(ißec. noon.) LONDON, July 12. British forward groups were ( digging in and consolidating their gains during the lull to-day in the battle .between the Odon and Orne Rivers. Meanwhile the Americans driving down the main eastern • road towards Saint Lo are now one and a-half miles from the suburbs and two miles from the centre of the city. Reuter's correspondent on the Odon front says elements of four panzer divisions had been brought up and sent in piecemeal against the British, but they failed to stop the Allied push toward the Orne.

The Germans holding the lower half of the loop before the confluence of the Odon and Orne are not in a happy position. General Montgomery now has his front across the Odon instead of a bridgehead. The front is solid and backed up with a tremendous weight of fire power. General Montgomery holds the initiative, and can make the enemy react wherever he chooses. The Germans, if they stay, are subject to a long nerve-racking barrage from the Allied guns. On the contrary, if they get restless and step outside their line from Louvigny through Maitot and Esquay to Hottot, then a deadly avalanche of mortars, bombs, and shells rains down on them.

The Germans also send over a lot of explosive, but it is feeble, and lacks sustained concentration compared with the Allies' burst of devastation.

The British United Press correspondent says the Americans drove a salient into the German lines and reached the top of a crest above Saint Lo. This represents a gain of one mile. " The road to Saint Lo is a lane of death, with German dead and burned-out vehicles every few yards. Our losses have been reasonably light considering the ferocity of the fighting," he says. The Americans on the west coast are within two and a-quarter miles of Leseay.

The correspondent adds that the Germans are showing signs of orderly withdrawal southwards in the Cherbourg Peninsula.

Enemy armour is still strong enough to fight back very vigorously, particur larly in the Caen-Avrecy area, states a correspondent at Supreme Headquarters. Our forces are steadily wearing down this opposition. West of the river Orne area the Allied line runs .through Eterville to Mesnil.- We do not hold IMaltot or Louvigny. No change is reported in the positions east of the river at Colombelles and at Hbnorine. Our troops have begun to consolidate firmly the positions gained in the Caen area.

North of Saint Lo an enemy attack at Le Homnet D'Arthenay was thrown back. In this attack the Germans lost more than 20 tanks. Le Desert, previously occupied, is now in enemy hands. Further gains tvero made on the Lessay road out of La Haye. United States trooips here have captured Angoville, Sur Ay and La Bourdonnerie. In the St. Eny area there have been further slight advances along the Ca-xentan-Perriers road. There has been a steady push along the front north and north-east of Saint Lo. The most successful part of this push has been towards the Bayeux-Saint Lo road. This highway has been reached and cut in one place. Two hill features with useful observation have also been taken in this area.

Bad weather to-day restricted Allied air operations over the battle area.