ARNHEM PARATROOPS

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 September 1944, Page 5

ARNHEM PARATROOPS

SOME RELIEF ARRIVES

GERMAN DESPERATE ■ EFFORTS

U.S.A. TROOPS GAINING GROUND

LONDON, September 25. Continued fierce fighting in the Aachen area of Holland is reported in to-day’s communique from Supreme Allied Headquarters. The British 2nd Army has succeeded, under cover of darkness, in passing reinforcements across the Neder Rijn to the air-borne forces holding out on the north bank. The 2nd Army is steadily strengthening its corridor across Holland south of Nijmegen, and this passage for reinforcements and supplies to the battle for the rivers is now reasonably secure. East of Nijmegen British tanks and American infantry are in action across the German frontier. Reuter’s correspondent with the 2nd Army says that the British have captured the frontier town of Beek, three miles east of Nijmegen, and have penetrated a mile into Germany. . . “Although they are receiving much-needed supplies, the airborne forces at Arnheim have not yet been relieved,” said Reuter’s correspondent with the British 2nd Army in a dispatch timed midday on Sunday. The Germans are becoming stronger along the north bank of the Neder Rijn, where they apparently intend making a stand; and unless there is a major assault and crossing soon the position of the airborne forces may deteriorate.” LATER. The British 2nd Army has driven its armoured corridor right to the water’s edge on the southern bank ot the Neder Rijn," opposite Arnhem. Reinforcements and supplies have gone across the river to our airborne troops, but there is as yet no firm link-up between the two forces. Ihe river is about 250 yards wide at this point, and our positions on either side of the river are being heavily shelled by the enemy. OFFICIAL REPORT “LONDON, Sept. 25. A communique from SHAEF says: Fierce fighting continues in the Arnhem area, where we succeeded m passing some reinforcements to die north bank of the river under the cover of darkness. Allied troops east of Nijmegen entered German territory in the neighbourhood of the Reichwald forest. The. area north of Vechel, where enemy pressure was strong has been cleared, after the repulse of a German counter-attack from the village of Erp, three miles east of Vechel. East of Eindhoven, our bridgehead over the Bois le Due Canal has been extended to the neighbourhood of. Deirnes. Further west we have pushed retreating enemy forces from the Escant Canal to the general line ol the Antwerp-Turnhout Canal.

RELIEF “DUCKS”

LONDON. September 23

Describing the 2nd Army’s race through Nijmegen to .the Neder Rijn to succour the air-borne forces, a British United Press correspondent says: “The relieving column travelled in ducks (amphibious vehicles). The road was dangerous because_of the threat from roving bands of German infantry and tanks. Thirty German tanks at one place cut off the line ot advance shortly after the duck-borne infantry had passed through . the long line of ducks reached the bank of the Rhine at Nijmegen and rushed across the river without resting. One section pushed along the mam road to Arnhem on foot. “Dramatic messages came m hourly from the airborne troops —Germans again attacking,’ ‘situation worsening,’ and ‘supplies urgently needed. Knowing that every minute was precious, the infantry struggled on under heavy lire from 88’s scattered among the dykes. „ . “The British fought an all-out battle north of Nijmegen, where they linked up with Polish paratroopers, but enemy opposition weakened after that, and it became a triumphant march to the river. Some parts of'the river bank were too steep for the ducks, but the Poles produced homemade rafts, with which they crossed over to reinforce the hard-pressed British air-borne forces. The ducks operated across the river at the first light of morning on Sunday. “A staff officer said: ‘The whole thing was brilliant in conception and executioan, especially in view ol the troops’ long, tireless race.’ “British infantry last night and this morning ferried food and other supplies to the air-borne forces across the Neder Rijn. “The relief came just in time, because the air-borne forces were hold--ing on by sheer courage. Those who are fighting from house to house against superior German forces north of the bridge are still out of touch. Their situation causes anxiety."

BATTLE FOR CORRIDOR RUGBY, September 25. The Germans threw more tanks and fresh infantry into a desperate but futile battle to cut the corridor around the town of Veghel, to-day, as advance reconnaissance patrols of Dempsey’s forces reached the Polish troops on the south bank of the Upper Rhine before Arnhem, says a correspondent in Holland. Over thirty German tanks, dozens of self-propelled guns, and scores of vehicles were destroyed. Infantrymen attacked the major cross roads of the town. American air-borne troops that opened the corridor on Sunday, and the British armoured troops, launched an attack shortly before noon to-day, and forced the Germans from the road which was temporarily cut yesterday. The main German efforts were from the south-east, while co-ordinated armour and infantry attacked Veghel unsuccessfuly from the north-west. Rain and low clouds were hampering air support, which yesterday temporarily broke up the German tank concentrations, destroyed three, and left six smoking. American air-borne infantrymen with bazookas and mortars were attacking enemy tanks through the low, muddy plains. Enemy tanks were also suffering heavy pounding from American airborne artillery, supported by the British. German tanks shelling Veghel and the road beyond toward Uden were forced to withdraw. British armoured columns east and west of Eindhoven widened the corridor co 16 miles. They are fighting at Middelbeers, nine miles west of Eindhoven, and Helmond, six miles north. The chain, strength of Dempsey’s spearhead captured a village 6A miles south-west of Arnhem last evening. COUNTER-ATTACKS FAIL. (Rec. 1.15 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 25. British tanks and infantry hurled the counter-attacking Germans from the Nijmegen corridor, says SHAEF, and supplies and reinforcements, tonight, were again rolling north to the Arnhem area.

RELIEF IN SIGHT (Recd. .11 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 25. The position of the airborne troops in the Arnhem area has further improved, says the British United Press correspondent with the British m Holland. He. adds: More reinforcements were sent over the Neder Rhine, last night,, than the previous nights and it appears that a triCKie is now continuing across the river under cover of darkness. The airborne troops, however, are unquestionably getting tired. . „ German resistance in the area ol Elst is definitely slackening. German paratroops moving south-eastward from north of Best towards Eindhoven, yesterday, made a serious thrust and gained two miles before they were thrown back. There is less activity on the eastern flank, with the British exploiting their capture of Deurne. The Allies entered Turnout alter the enemy had withdrawn from the Escaut Canal towards the Antwerp-Turnout Canal, which is described as possibly the last decent line before Waal. The British are now officially stated to be pretty solid on the southern bank of the river in the Arnhem area. The Columbia Broadcasting System’s Brussels correspondent reports that .complete relief of the British airborne troops west of Arnhem is now definitely in sgiht. The National Broadcasting Corporation’s Paris correspondent says the enemy is throwing in everything it can in the rush to the Arnhem area. More Luftwaffe strength is being used than has been seen for many weeks. FIERCEST OF CAMPAIGN (Recd. 1.40 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 25. The heroic British airborne forces, with the limited reinforcements which pushed across the Neder Rhine, are to-night still locked in what is possibly the fiercest fighting of the campaign on the Western Front, says SHAEF. British, American and Polish troops of General Dempsey’s 2nd Army are, meanwhile, thrusting northwards against time. There is every indication that the Germans will do their utmost to hold the Arnhem gateway to the Ruhr and the Westphalian Plain. The Germans are also aware that the Allies would need to advance only 30 miles northward from Arnhem to leave the whole German Army remaining in Belgium and Holland, west of the Zuider Zee only one escape route—a narrow 19-mile causeway north of the Zuider Zee between North Holland and Friesland.

FIGHT TO THE DEATH.

SURVIVORS’ NARRATIVE

(Rec. 11.40 a.m.) LONDON, September 28. How a band of paratroopers fought for three days and three nights when surrounded at the end of the bridge over the Neder Rhine at Arnhem is told by a British United Press correspondent, Richard McMillan, who describes the fighting as “a glolyous, furious .and forlorn action in which our paratroopers finally went down fighting undei’ waves of German attackers.” Three' English paratroopers who escaped from a German train carrying the survivors to Germany told McMillan the following story after they had regained the British lines: — “Our mission was to occupy houses commanding the access to the bridge, and we first charged a pillbox guarding the bridge and set lire to the ammunition in it, causing the pillbox to blow up. Twenty Germans ran out with their hands above their heads. Our section then fortified the schoolhouse, the upper storey of which overlooked the end of the bridge. Other paratroopers occupied adjoining houses. The Germans quickly gathered in force and attacked the houses with tanks from a range of 30 yards. The Germans then machine-gunned the schoolhouse from the rooftops oi adjoining buildings, after which they set fire to some of the houses, hoping the wind would carry the flames to the school. “The flames failed to reach the schoolhouse. A convoy of German half-track vehicles appeared on the bridge the next midday, so we opened up with Brens and Sten guns, and killed the Germans riding in them, and set fire to the lorries. One was a food lorry which we were sorry to sec burn, because our food rations were now very short. “During the second night there were more blazing houses and lorries, and the Germans began firing mortars and stalking towards the school. We dropped hand grenades among them. Two Mark 111 tanks and a number ol infantrymen appeared the next day, September 19, and attacked us furiously almost all day. One of our men crept across the road under fire and dropped a bomb from the top of a house, disabling a tank. The Germans that night again tried to burn us out, but our men went on to the roof and extinguished the flames reaching the school. Tiger tanks all night circled the school and shelled us periodically until the building was riddled like a sieve. Mortars added to the din. It was a hectic night. “It was so quiet on September 20 that we thought the Germans had pulled out, but two Tiger tanks appeared at 10 a.m. and again battered us. We had meanwhile, rigged up a radio and were able to compare notes with our comrades occupying the neighbouring houses. We then saw that the Germans were placing demolition charges under the bridge. We rushed out with fixed bayonets, got through the enemy lire, cleared the Germans from the bridge and removed the charges. The Germans subsequently counter-attacked and drove our fellows back. We organised a second bayonet attack and again removed the new demolition charges, but suffered heavy casualties. The Germans closed in against the school which was again set on fire. The flames spread and (he building began to collapse.” A Lancashire Lieutenant said that 45 paratroopers, 21 of whom were wounded, reached an adjoining house where the Gormans pinned them down. They decided to leave four men with the wounded, now totalling 35, while the other survival's would attempt to escape. The Germans captured these six' survivors as they ran from the house. WITH THE AMERICANS. LONDON, September 25. The American Ist Army, from the Aachen area southward to 1 Luxembourg, is building up its armoured strength for further thrusts into Germany. Further to the south the Germans facing the 3rd Army have lost their hold on the Moselle line, but are resisting strongly as they are pushing back towards the frontier. A SHAEF communique says: Our troops in the Geilenkerchen area have met with a concentrated medium artillery fire, which was countered. Patrol activity continues in this sector. One of our units in the Roetgen area south of Aachen, reduced a. German strongpoint, and slight gains were

made against stubborn enemy resistance. We repulsed a German coun-ter-attack east of Aachen.

METZ AREA

(Rec. 9.15 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. ,24. The enemy in the Metz area are still strongly entrenched on the west side of the Moselle River and south of Metz, says a SHAEF communique. Our troops in this area are continuing to meet strong opposition. Allied Forces cleared Layr, eight miles north-east of Nancy and are clearing Bois de Faulx and Foret de Champenous. East' of Nancy our units in the Meurthe Valley made further gains in Foret de Mondon north-west of Bassarat. DEVASTATING BARRAGE RUGBY, September 25. The American Ist Army opened a devastating barrage on Germany with 10-inch guns and heavy howitzers. Two towns have been set on fire, and among those hit are Julich and Duren, midway between Aachen and Cologne. A vital supply line deep in Germany is now being shelled by our heaviest guns, writes a correspondent. Along the whole of the Ist Army front 240 m.m. howitzers and 150 m.m. guns are being directed upon targets extending more than halfway to the Rhine and the German border. Overworked railways bringing up supplies have been shelled and one village, being used by the enemy as a petrol supply dump, went up in flames. Another village similarly employed was badly damaged. Enemy artillery activity nas also been increased, and in the past few days an enemy artillery spotting plane similar to the Piper Cub made its appearance over the battle front. In the vicinity of Aachen, to-day, German counter-attacks at two company strength and again some miles further south with a smaller force. Against a well dug-in position they made no progress. Behind the Siegfried Line, into which the Americans made an appreciable dent, community digging proceeds apace, apparently to make some form of switch line to link up with the Siegfried. To the north of the village, anti-tank defences are breaking out like a rash, rash. PATTON SECURES INITIATIVE. (Rec. 11.10 a.m.) LONDON, September 25. General Patton’s Army finally seems to have removed all obstacles against movements towards the Siegfried Line, says a United States radio commentator broadcasting from France. There is good reason to believe General Patton has again taken the initiative.

First Army forces have started expanding eastward from the Stolberg battlefield, others south of Stolberg are widening the breaches of the Siegfried Line. German counter-attacks m the areas of Aachen and Prum have been considerably weaker than the previous attacks, indicating a growing strain on the German reserves and supplies. . A British United Press correspondent describing the bombardment against Germany says: “A 50 miles wall of heavv guns have opened up a tremendous softening up bombardment against the German towns, shelling them most heavily. The spectacular barrage has been kept up hour after hour against all conceivable targets in the German territory half-way between the German border and the Rhine. It is our answer to the recent sustained pounding of the Allied troops in the Siegfried Line. We are throwing at least 10 shells for every one German shell.” TAKING OF EPINAL. (Rec. 11.25) LONDON, Sept. 25. The Germans lost 21 of the 30 tanks they used in unsuccessful counter-attacks north-west of Dieuze last evening, says Reuter’s correspondent with the 3rd Army. Signs of resistance in the vicinity of Baccarat are decreasing, and the French made advances five miles north of the town operations. , These French troops south-east of Nancy have hitherto been under a veil, oi secrecy. TT , Epinal fell yesterday to United States infantrymen of the 7th Army as a result of a fast outflanking movement. AERIAL OFFENSIVE (Rec. 9.15 a.m.) LONDON. Sept. 25. Heavy bombers last evening attacked enemy fortified positions at Calais. Fighters and fighter-bombers provided support for the ground forces in Holland and Eastern France, and also attacked tanks and armoured vehicles near Nancy, and mortar positions and infantry in the Arnhem area. Fighters also attacked locomotives, railway trucks and motor transport in Holland.

ENEMY TRANSPORT HAMMERED

(Rec. 1.5) LONDON, Sept. 25. R.A.F. rocket-firing planes, defying the bad weather of the past 48 hours, have been hammering against considerable German transport movement northwards from West Holland, through the 25 mile gap between Arnhem and the Zuider Zee, states Reuter’s correspondent with the Tactical Air Force in Belgium. Allied planes attacked many trains, leaving the German sack between the sea and Dempsey’s corridor across Holland. Typhoons and Mustangs in a few hours yesterday shot up 30 trains the majority of which were heading for North Germany. Others were travelling towards Arnhem, these movements occurring north of the Antwerp-Turnhout Cabal. Mosquitoes,, early to-day, ranged over a wide area under heavy rainclouds, and continued the destruction of German transport. Typhoons are also giving hardpressed airborne troops close support, sending streams of rockets into the German gun and mortar positions 150 yards from the airborne troops. Our rocket-firing planes last week would have prevented the Germans concentrating sufficient men . and material to worry airborne forces, but the weather was consistently bad and again favoured the Germans. However, the airmen were determined to provide some support, taking off under conditions which at other times would have kept the planes on. the ground.

ASSAULT ON CALAIS.

CANADIANS TAKE FORTRESS

(Rec. 12.35 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 25. An all-out assault, against Calais, which was launched to-day, involved the employment of one of the greatest concentrations of Allied warplanes in support of the ground operations of the war. From early morning a constant stream of R.A.F. bombers streamed over the French coast, and Reuter’s correspondent with the Canadians attacking Calais reported that when the attack against the port started at 10 a.m. wave after wave of heavy bombers and rocket-firing Typhoons dropped shattering loads against the port’s great steel and concrete defences. Three Hundred Halifaxes for nearly an hour pounded Calais with high explosives, dropping nearly 1300 tons. The first strongpoint to fall to the Canadians was the Fortress Escalles, four miles south-west of Calais. The Canadians then stormed the general emplacements holding the great trans-Channel guns. The Canadians also crossed the road between Sangatte and the Fortress Coquelles, which is slightly farther inland. The high ground south-west of Calais is also in Allied hands.

Renter’s correspondent, continues: The assault against Calais was strikingly similar to the attack which last week reduced Boulogne. At the moment the last bombs had crashed down among the pillboxes flail-tanks went clattering in among the minefields. with infantry closely following. When the infantry arrived at ihe" outer defences they found the Geirnans dejectedly sitting on the ground. The Germans had attempted to surrender to the flail tanks, bu; they were too busy to take prisoner*. The correspondent adds: Despite the initial success against the outer defences of Calais the final reduction is expected to TAKE SOME TIME. because the town itself is one of the strongest fortresses in Europe. “The Times's” correspondent outside Calais says: The Germans, in addition to the construction ol formidable anti-tank ditches and the mining of all approaches to Calais, flooded a wide area south-west and southeast of the town and it was necessary for the Canadians advancing front the west and south-west to be provided with Mae West liie-jackets when negotiating the inundated aiea. 25,000 square yards of whicn the enemy flooded to a depth of six feet, wiping out several villages m the process. Assault boats on lorries followed up the infantry. The enemy s heaviest guns were located .in the casements at the fortress Escalles, but he is also well provided with, field artillery and 88 m.m. guns, while such batteries as survived at Cap Gris Nez wore also brought into action. About 20,000 civilians remain in Calais, herded in the southern part of the town. They refused, to leave because they feared being caught between iwo fires.

LATE PROGRESS REPORTS BRITISH SUPPLY ROUTE CUT. LONDON, September 25. British tanks and armour are fighting furiously to restore the situation south of Nijmegen, where picked German Storm Troopers, with supporting tanks, at dawn this morning cut the vital road to the Rhine, states Reuter’s correspondent witn the British 2nd Army .in a despa ten lodged to-night. The Germans launched an attack last night and forced a way into Dempsey's corridor between Stoedenrode and Veche 1. By dawn several hundred'Germans were firmly astride the main British supply route, which was cut. for a stretch of five miles. The road was closed to Allied traffic ail day. The Berlin radio commentator, Capt. Sertorius. says: New German counter-attacks were initiated in the Vechel area against the most sensitive point of the Allied Dutch, corridor. The German High Command has not given up plans to cut off the Allied forces which thrust to Nijmegen. The “Daily Telegraph s correspondent with the British 2nd Army near Nijmegen says: “There have been strong German forces on either side of our so-called corridor. The breadth of our advance has been scarcely more than the breadth of the highway. That is why it would be quite misleading to think of the German troops west of the road as cut off ot trapped. They constituted a greater threat to the use of the road than our deep, slender northern penetration could possibly constitute for them. You cannot cease to be conscious of the danger along this corridor, which is both the front line and supply line of the British 2nd Army. It is the ? front line facing both' east and west. Over 50 miles of the corridor fly wave after wave of transport planes with supplies for the airborne troops around Arnhem,”