LATE PROGRESS REPORTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 September 1944, Page 5

LATE PROGRESS REPORTS

maginot Line captured.

LONDON, September 11

General Patton’s Americans driving across Lorraine captured a large part of the Maginot Line intact states Reuter’s correspondent with the American Third Army. American infantry also took Aumetx, ten miles south-east of Longwy, three miles from the border of Luxembourg. It was the first Lorraine town to be liberated, the Tricolour appearing over the town for the first time since Hitler incorporated Alsace-Lorraine into the Greater Reich in 1940. The Associated Press says: A chunk of the Maginot Line which the Americans occupied on September 11, contains the big electrically operated disappearing French guns in perfect, working order. The British United- Press correspondent says: The United States Third Army at 8 a.m. opened a new attack south of Nancy and reached the outer defences of the fortress of Nancy, and captured Fort Villeyesac. Reuter’s correspondent says that elements of the Third Army met elements of General Patch’s Seventh Army, which have driven up from the Riviera. It is officially announced that contact was made in the vicinity of Sombernon on the main road from Dijon to Paris, about fifteen miles from Dijon. Officers and men of the Seventh' and Third Armies shook hands. Meanwhile, the Germans are resisting American efforts to force the Moselle and to-day counter-attacked strongly at several points. The Associated Press says: The American Seventh Army reached the outskirts of Vesoul, whereagamst powerful American infantry forces converged. Vesoul is an-important road junction in heavily wooded country. The Germans if they want to fight should be able to offer a real battle before they are routed out. The town is situated on the natural escape route for the Germans west of the Belfort Gap. Vesoul is 45 miles from Belfort and 75 miles south of Nancy, where the Third Army is attacking the Moselle Line. Reuter’s correspondent with the Canadian Army says: Through heavy mortar and machine-gun fiie, our troops are closing in on the besieged port of Le Havre. British troops are battling just beyond the northern suburbs. The German strongpoints are resisting strongly until surrounded and are then surrendering. The entire coastline from Gravelines to Zeebrugge is cleared of the enemv except for Dunkirk says SHAEF. The Boulogne garrison consists approximately of 5000 men, Calais 3000, and Dunkirk 10,000.

BRITISH PRESS COMMENTS ALLIES’ SUPPLY PROBLEMS

(N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent)

(Recd. 9.25 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 11. With the Allies about to close on the frontiers of Germany, military commentators are emphasising that the two most important tasks before the armies attempt, in earnest, the invasion of Germany, are that they should secure better supply routes, and that they should prevent as many as possible of the Germans still abroad from getting back to their country to take part in its defence. It is accepted that the battle ahead will be one for riverlines and waterways, and that while denying the Allies the ports of France as far as possible, the Germans will endeavour to hold on to the waterlines of the Albert Canal, Scheldt, Meuse Canal, and the Dutch inundations in the north, on the Meuse in the centre, and on the Moselle further south, in their southern bastion the Vosges. This it is pointed out, accounts for the already stiffening resistance encountered beyond the Albert Canal. As the “Daily Telegraph’s mihtaiy commentator, General Martin, says. The Allies in their pursuit have thought and acted too fast lor the enemy. “But,” he adds, “it seems in fact that that time must soon come when growing difficulties of supply—the friction of war—would so reduce the momentum of attack as finally to equate it with the resisting power ol the defence. When that moment came, the advance would have to be momentarily suspended. However, it seems that the Allies have not ye reached the stage when they must ’’‘The Sunday “Observer’s” commentator “Liberator,” discusses whethei the advance might have to stop foi replenishment or for recupeiatio and give the Germans a breathing space, possibly sufficing to consolidate part of their front or whethei the Allied advance will ro!l on perhaps change direction and bieak the last reserves of the Reich before they can ever be effectivly assembled. ALLIES' ALTERNATIVES “Liberator” says: “The question now naturally before the Allied Su preme Command is whether to pause M the whole front and bu. d up the seven thrusts into a stnkin a foie with a tremendous armoured punch a job that will require a little timfror' whether to keep the enemy guessino' and reinforce and supply only 'two or three of these thrusts to the : maximum that our lines of com- ! munication will carry. In this way, ! the war of movement might be mainI tained despite the supply difficulties -and the Germans would finally lose ' their hope of time to concentrate , “Strategicus” in the Spectator, i after pointing out it would be difficult to find a parallel for such a ■wholesale defeat as the Geiman ! armies are now experiencing, , says: * “The lime will come, probably' in tne ; immediate future, when most sectors ! of the Geman frontier will be clamtouring for reinforcements at the i '--ame lime. There is no evidence oi ithe existence of any general reserve. : There is every evidence of progresi sive weakening, The Siegfried Line f will be compelled to face attack withlout assistance from the eastern or '■ from the southern fronts, except at I the peril of admitting the Rusians either in East Prussia or Austria, i The Siegfried Line may not fall at •the sound of the trumpets, and may ; take some little time to breach. At I least, it can be realised that under ■ modern attadk it may be pierced ■ more swiftly than purely theoretical ■ prepossessions would suggest.”