CLEARING THE RHINE

Evening Star, Issue 25425, 5 March 1945, Page 5

CLEARING THE RHINE

DUTCH FRONTIER TO COLOGNE HEAVY GERMAN LOSSES (Rec. 1.15 p.m.) 'LONDON, Mar'eh 4. British and American forces are engaged in clearing the west bank of the Rhine from the Dutch frontier to Cologne. Although many of the remaining battered German .units are getting across the river, enemy losses have been heavy, particularly in prisoners, 60,000 having been taken up to date. Cologne is now virtually surrounded. The American First Army has formed an arc about the city two miles distant, while the sole escape bridge remaining up to. a few days ago—the big Hohenzollern bridge—has now been blocked by Allied' bombing. An advance of two to three miles aloncf the Rhine has been made from Neuss. The Ninth Army has now reached the Rhine at several points along a stretch of about 20 miles between Homburg and Neuss, says Reuter's correspondent with the Ninth Army. He adds that it appears from reports of patrols operating on Homburg's outskirts that the- bridge to Duisberg is still' intact. This bridge and two others Ifarther north are all that, remain for an enemy withdrawal. It is believed that the Germans who have been fighting on the Canadianfront have been switched or are '-noting southwards to fight delaying actions in the bridge areas. British troops of the Canadian Army made further southward sweeps without making contact with the retreating enemy, says the Exchange Telegraph's correspondent with the Canadians. On the Maas bank they have taken the town of Well, eight' miles south-west of Weeze, and are now on the Well-Weeze road.. West of Kevelaer they entered Web, four miles south-west of Weeze. British patrols are fighting in Kapellan, five miles north-east of Geldern.

The Kyll River, the last major water barrier before' the Rhine, has been forced by the United States Third Army eight miles north of Trier. Agency correspondents reported this morning that elements of one division entered Hosten, on the east bank of. the Kyll. The Third Army in an advance along a 45-mile front yesterday, captured five towns and entered' two others. Reuter's correspondent'reports that an enemy pocket was wiped out by the capture of Liersburg, four miles south-west of • Trier. Infantry, with cavalry support, cleared the north-west bank of the Moselle as far as the confluence with the Kyll. The cavalry made another crossing of the Nims River and captured Hommersheim and Gissdorf, one and two miles respectively south-west of Pruin.