“SECURITY SILENCE”

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 September 1944, Page 5

“SECURITY SILENCE”

ARNHEM PARATROOPERS’ PLIGHT

GAINS IN NIJMEGEN AREA

AMERICAN’ PROGRESS IN EAST

LONDON, September 26. To-day’s communique from Supreme Allied Headquarters gives no fresh news of the fighting round the air-borne forces’ bridgehead west of Arnhem, on the north bank of the Neder Rijn. The latest news is that a few British troops of the 2nd Army crossed the river under very heavy fire in an effort to relieve the surrounded air-borne troops, but this would not be easy, as the Germans are said to control almost the whole of the north bank. ■' The Allied communique confirms that tanks and infantry of the 2nd Army have defeated the latest German attempt to cut the supply column running from Eindhoven up to the south bank of the Neder Rijn at Nijmegen. South-west of Eindhoven, on the left flank of the corridor, Allied troops have advanced their bridgehead beyond the AntwerpTurnhout Canal. On the right flank 2nd Army forces have advanced seven or eight miles east of Deurne (about 15 miles east of Eindhoven). “Although the Germans have several times cut the Allied supply corridor, it has never been out of action for more than three or four hours, and the movement of supplies has not been seriously hindered,” says a report from Supreme Headquarters. “The position - in the corridor is nowhere critical. It is long and narrow and cannot be lined with Allied troops. Accordingly, the Germans from time to time sever it, but they have not the forces necessary to cut it in strength or for any length of time.” A A Berlin radio war reporter said: “Arnhem, which was the centre of violent fighting during the British air-borne landing, is now a heap of ashes and rubble. This, which was the richest town in the Netherlands, offers a scene of utter desolation. Houses are burned out, and gardens and parks are studded with the slit trenches of British paratroops.” ADVANCE CONTINUED

RUGBY, September 27.

Security silence on the fighting in the Arnhem area continues. A correspondent at SHAEF says: Our troops generally clearing the area between Deurne and Nijmegen have reached Oploo, 11 miles north-east, and Mill, about 15 miles north of Deurne. Resistance to these advances is described as moderate. Further to the east, the Belgians are moving towards the Dutch border at Maeseyck, West of the salient, the enemy still occupies Best, approximately six miles northwest of Eindhoven. Allied troops are in contact with enemy formations in the area of Eindhoven, Veghel and Orad. From Reusel other Allied Forces are approaching Arendonck, five miles south-west of Reusel. British units of the Canadian Army now have two bridgeheads across the Turnhout-Antwerp Canal. A second crossing was made in the region of Ryckeboursel, 15 miles north-east ot Antwerp. The attack on Calais is going satisfactorily. The Canadians reached Hie coast west of the port and also control the high ground overlooking the town. PROGRESS IN MOST AREAS. (Rec. 10 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 26. The Allies made good gaifis on the east of the Eindhoven-Nijmegen salient, reports to-day’s SHAEF communique. We captured Helmond and Deurne and advanced several miles northward. Enemy attacks against the supply corridor in the Schijndel area were repulsed. West of Turnhout we gained a . bridgehead over the Antwerp-Turnhout Canal. There has been little change in the area north of Aachen to tne Meurthe Valley. Sporadic artillery and enemy patrolling continue in the northern naif of this sector. Our patrol activity east of Aachen met strong enemy reaction. We made slight advances northeast of Nancy and south-west of Luneville made gains in the Benamenil area. In the Epinal area we advanced several miles east of the Moselle. The Allies captured the village of Jeuxey and completed the occupation of Epinal. Our armour and infantry west of Belfort gained several miles against stiff opposition.

Medium, light, and fighter-bomb-ers yesterday attacked gun positions and strongpints in the Arnhem area. Escorting fighters shot down four enemy planes which attempted to intercept the bombers. Fighters strafed road and rail transport in the Ruhr. Heavies bombarded fortified positions in Calais for over an hour, dropping over 1000 tons of explosives.

WIDENING THE CORRIDOR.

GERMAN REPORT ON ARNHEM.

(Rec. 10.15 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 26. A second supply road to Nijmegen was gained yesterday, says the British United Press correspondent with the British 2nd Army. The corridor’s width just north of Eindhoven nearly doubled in the past 24 hours. It is * now 24 miles wide, though it narrows to three miles north of Vechel. The enemy threat to cut across the corridor is decreasing. Describing the Germans’ third attack against the supply road the correspondent says: The Germans were out on the road between Vechel and Oedenrode with at least two tanks and two or three self-propelled 88’s and a few score qf infantry equipped with machine guns. ■ They got on to the road and roamed up and down it, blowing up any transport they caught in the trap, and mounting 88's at each end to hold the section. They also shelled Oedenrode and Vechel. Three thousand Germans are in the two miles semi-circle north of Vechel, with 10 or 15 tanks and 10 or 15 88’s. They had twice previously cut the road in this area and had been beaten off with heavy losses after inflicting damage to our supply columns and stopping the flow along the road for long periods. Several hundred glider pilots who participated in the airborne landings at Nijmegen are now fighting as front line troops. They were thrown into the battle as holding troops and mobile reserves when the critical situation demanded the use of regular infantry in more vital sectors. Some glider pilots help to collect food, petrol, ammunition and equipment dropped by parachute. The German News Agency, quoting the German, High Command noon survey of the battle fronts, stated that remnants of the Ist British Airborne Division were squeezed into a very narrow space at Arnhem and were still offering stubborn resistance, but the area was further smashed by concentric German artillery fire.

The News Agency earlier claimed that this division had been “comoletely liquidated,” ‘and added: The last remnants of 600 men surrendered this morning in a small village west of Arnhem. It claimed that the British previously surrendered all the wounded, numbering 1400.

FOOD DUMP CAPTURED.

(Rec. 11.0 a.m.) LONDON, September 26. The British and Belgian patrols of General Dempsey’s right flank are striking out towards tne Maas along a 42 miles front, states Reuters coirespondent with the British Second Army. The British beyond Mil are now 18 miles east of Vechel and. less than two miles from the Maas wheie the river turns westward towards tne sea. The Germans are reported to be blowing up the Maas bridge. The Associated Press, in a delayed dispatch, reports the capture of the little town of Os, south-west ot Ni.imewe captured a food dump for the entire German Army in Holland. It contained 10,000,000 rations, including 8000 tons of meat. Oui troops, who tried them, say the Get man rations were not bad. . GERMAN CLAIMS (Rec. 11 a.m.) LONDON, Sept 26 The German High Command an nouncement, quoted by the Berlin radio, states: Allied P a ™ tr °°P% ed in cur rear in Cential Holland, making our offensive operations more difficult, but German tastica reserves thrown against these newly-landed troops, either sealed them off or annihilated them. The Allies intensified the attacks east of Eindhoven pushing strong forces north-east attemptins to seize the highway leading to Duerne. Other British units are driving south-east or Nijmegen m order to gain the northern sector ot the highway running through Duerne. Fighting in Central Holland is very bitter. DUTCH FOOD SHORTAGE. (Rec. 11.40 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 26. A prominent Dutch Quisling, speaking on the German-controlled Hilversum radio, said that since General Eisenhower’s appeal to Dutch railway strikers a serious situation has arisen regarding good. The German Army did not intend to interfere with it. Holland went hungry because some Dutchmen were stupid enough to help the Allies. ATTACKS NEAR NANCY.

LONDON, September 26. Reuter’s correspondent with the United States 3rd Army says: “German tanks and infantry twice on Monday counter-attacked near Marsal, four miles south-west of Dieuze (25 miles north-east of NancyL The Americans repulsed both attacks. The Germans used about 30 tanks, and apparently meant to take high ground in this area. The Americans repulsed another German counter-attack 10 miles north-east of Nancy. Bad weather’ hampered operations elsewhere on the Moselle front.” Tanks and infantry of the ith Army are reported to have made advances of several miles towards Belfort. NO EARLY SURRENDER BAD WEATHER HANDICAPS (Rec. Noon). LONDON, Sept. 26. The British United Press correspondent with the Americans nearMetz says nobody coming fresh from abroad with the preconceived idea that the Germans are on the verge ot quitting would get much support for this notion if he visited the front line here. The Germans may be intending to surrender, but you would not think so from here. They have studded the countryside with pillboxes and artillery positions from which they slam shells into the Americans. Approaching the front, which here is 10 miles inside Germany, you hear the rumble of artillery long before you arrive. It must be remembered this is not a strictly solid front like those of the last war. It is a long projection on a skinny salient running into Germany. We can see a farmer’s wife still living in No-Man’s-Land. She appears whenever the shells begin falling and waves a white handkerchief as a token of her strict neutrality. The country looks so peaceful and rural that it seemed we could march straight ahead. Actually, it is bristling with hidden defences, although here the Americans have the Siegfried Line behind them. The explanation of our present hold-up is the bad weather, which permitted the Germans to BRING UP TOUGH DIVISIONS while the Allied airmen were unable to hit them. A few days’ sunshine may change everything. “The Times’s” correspondent on the Moselle front says ffuil skies, heavy rain and thick mud are adding their unpleasantness to life along this front. However, the fight continues with the American Third Army maintaining steady pressure. Six German counter-attacks were repulsed in the Dieuze sector, yesterday, each in battalion strength. Thirteen tanks were used in-one attack, of which eight are reported to have been knocked out. The Americans are gradually wresting position after position from the Germans and when better weather makes close and ’continuous air support possible there may be another roll forward reminiscent of General Patton’s advance in August. Reuter’s correspondent with the Seventh Army says days of cold, driving rain have slowed up the Americans’ advance eastward. It is at present as cold and wet as any English Winter. The Germans are taking advantage of the conditions by stiffening their resistance and bringing in more artillery. They intend to make us fight hard for every mile to the Rhine. The Americans are receiving their first issue of Winter underwear, overcoats, and extra blankets. Front line troops have been shivering in light clothes. The British United Press correspondent with the American First Army says the situation was static all to-day. The Germans fruitlessly counter-attacked in one sector of. the Aachen-Stolberg area. American long-range artillery is continuing to pound the railway centres of Eschweiler and Duren, which are eight and 13 miles east of Aachen. The Berlin radio commentator, Col. Dietmar, declared to-night:: “The triumphal cries in the camp of our Western enemies have not been without a justifiable background in the oast few weeks. But now the situation has undergone a thorough change. The British-American Command, despite the hopeful position in August, failed to split the German front.” I — GERMAN ATTACKS FAIL. (Rec. 1.25 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 26. The American 3rd Army, this afternoon. south-west of Dieuze repulsed two more German counterattacks, says Reuter’s correspondent. The Germans attacked an Americanheld town six miles from Dieuze, using 21 tanks and a number of infantry. Then a force of 12 German tanks with infantry attacked the

American positions farther south. The Americans continue cleaning up what they call the “rats’ nest” in the woods in this area. COAST~PORTS. (Rec. 1 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 26. Soon after Lancasters at noon unloaded 3500 tons of bombs on Calais and gun positions at Cap Gris Nez, German long-range guns opened up vicious shelling on the English coast and continued at intervals for five hours. Frequent salvoes of three or four shells rocked the coast. Dover’s big guns replied. The British United Press correspondent outside Calais reports that the commander of the Sangatte battery of heavy guns near Calais, offered to surrender. He sent an emissary with a white flag into the Allied lines offering surrender at noon. The Allied commander accepted rather than waste men continuing the attack. Reuter’s correspondent with the Canadians to-night says that nearly all the German positions south-west and south of Calais are now held by the Canadians. The main body of the German garrison has withdrawn into the town. Widespread inundations have made Calais practically an island. AERIAL "ACTIVITIES. (Rec. 10.35 a.m.) LONDON, September 26. Despite bad weather, patrols were maintained over the battle areas in Holland, yesterday, particularly the Arnhem-Nijmegen regions. The Luftwaffe appeared in greater numbers than usual, and there were several combats. German planes for the first time engaged rocket Typhoons. About 25 Messerschmitts and Fockwulfs dived on five Typhoons led by a New Zealander Flight Lieutenant Earle Brough D.F.C. from South Otago. The Typhoons which had been attacking trains in Germany gave battle. Flying Officer H. O. Pattulo (Dunedin), and Brough each damaged an attacker. Pattulo said: “I think they were scared they just made dirty darts, and as soon as we turned in towards them, they faded away.” Another group of Typhoons met one hundred Fockwulfs in the Nijmegen area and shot down L 6 for the loss of three and damaged 18 others. The enemy’s attack was broken up, and the remaining planes chased away. Spitfires over the Arnhem area met 50 enemy fighters and shot down four for the loss of one. . Air Defence of Great Britain Spitfires and Tempests met 50 fighters in the Arnhem area and shot down four for the loss of two. Typhoons attacked four German gun positions which were shelling the airborne forces near Arnhem and are believed to have silenced the guns. Air Force fighters while escorting airborne operations in Holland flew 1888 sorties wherein they destroyed 108 enemy planes for the loss of 64. GERMAN SECRET WEAPON.

LONDON, September 26

“The Germans are releasing a torrent of propaganda about their new secret weapon,” says the “Daily Mail correspondent in Stockholm. Reliable people arriving in Stockholm from Germany emphasise that the Nazis will soon try a novel method of warfare in an attempt to prevent an Allied victory before the Winter. Significance is attached to Hitler’s action in decorating Professor Esau, one of Germany’s leading authorities on the atom, with the Knight's Cross ot the German War Service Medal for ‘distinguished services in restoring Germany’s technical superiority in war.’ ” The correspondent adds that a neutral scientist told him that the Germans wore making an all-out effort to harness the atom for war purposes. GERMAN STRENGTH LONDON, September’26. Informed American military sources have estimated that Germany, which had 62 divisions on the Western Front on D Day, is now reduced to 28 or 30 divisions, each numbering 8000 to 10,000 men. They are opposed by more than 30 Allied divisions at full strength.

LOOT-LADEN TRAINS

LONDON, September 26

“About a dozen German trains which are stranded in the railway yard at Nijmegen are full of loot,” says a “Daily Express” correspondent. “There is one whole train packed with parcels which German soldiers were sending home. A fantastic collection of things spilled out when some were opened. Parcels addressed to Fraulein this or that contained a gross of curtain rings, a dozen bicycle, pumps, or half a dozen boxes of cut-throat razors. There were dental instruments, cases of hair oil, sets of engineering tools, and boxes of aspirin. The idea simply was to grab everything—not one or two, but by the gross. Some Germans had raided bookshops. They had bundled up 50 copies of the same book and sent them off from pure lust of possession.”

FOREIGN WORKERS

RUGBY, September 25.

A message was issued to-day at the order of General Eisenhower to all foreign workers in Germany whose countries are at war with Germany, giving them instructions for future action. It says: “The hour for action has come. Organised cells of foreign workers —do not underrate the power of the Gestano. However, remember that, to-day the Gestapo stands in fear of the 12,000,000 foreign workers, who bv acting now can seal the fate of the Third Reich.” CHANNEL ISLANDS. (Rec. 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 26. The German News Agency announced that a Canadian maior approached the Channel Islands in a lifeboat with an offer to negotiate the surrender of the islands, which the German commander rejected.

TRANSPORT OF CASUALTIES

LONDON. September 26

Aircraft of the Roval Air Force Transport Command have flown nearly 29.000 men to Britain since D Day. Soldiers and airmen belonging to Allied countries are included in this figure. During the last three (jays nearly a third of the casualties brought to England by the Royal Air Force Transport Command have been members of the United States forces. Not one aircraft taking part in these operations has been lost. BRITAIN’S SUPPLIES LONDON. September 24. It is disclosed that more than 5000 special trains were lent to the United States Forces from British railways in preparation for the invasion of France. Nearly £50,000,000 worth of new buildings alone were built out of Britain’s reserves of manpower and material. An average of 40,000 men worked on this programme for 25 months. These latest figures of British Army reverse, lend-lease to the United States ground forces show how intensely the British and American invasion needs encroached on civilian life.

At Cherbourg most of the port repairs were done by a Royal Engineers (Transportation! dredging company, complete with British personnel and equipment, operating under. American direction.