FLUSHING CLEARED

Greymouth Evening Star, 6 November 1944, Page 5

FLUSHING CLEARED

ADVANCE TO THE MAAS

GERMAN WITHDRAWAL COMPLETE

LARGE NUMBERS ESCAPE

LONDON, November 5. The port of Flushing, at the mouth of the Scheldt on the south coast of Walcheren Island, has been cleared of the enemy by troops of the Canadian Ist Army,* and some progress has been made north of Flushing. “The last and biggest battle for Walcheren is now fairly certain to be staged above the water area to the east of the island,” writes a correspondent with the 21st Army Group. “The decision in this battle will virtually decide the date on which the clearing operation can be commenced along the Scheldt to allow of the free passage of Allied shipping to Antwerp. The Canadian commandos who landed on the south-east coast of Walcheren have now definitely joined forces with other infantry forces along ‘Hell's- Corridor' causeway into Walcheren. It is unofficially estimated that the Nazi forces remaining on Walcheren number between 3.100 and 4000, and there is no question that the main weight of the enemy’s defence is against Lieutenant-General Crerar s men attacking from the east." On the Dutch mainland, west of Hertogenbosch, United Kingdom troops of the British 2nd Army have made an advance of nearly two miles and a half towards the Maas. Further west our bridgehead oyer the Mark River has been extended. Reuter’s correspondent with the Canadian Ist Army reports that the Canadians are lighting at three points inside the German pocket between the Mark River and the Maas. British, American, and Polish troops along the south bank of the Mark River forced crossings to establish bridgeheads under heavy and accurate mortaring and shelling. Canadian armour on the west flank captured Steenbergeh, and Polish infantry captured Terjeijden, four miles north of Breda, and pushed on within three miles of the Maas. The Germans have been successful to a great extent in the plan to stand behind the Mark River to permit the major forces’ escape over the Moerdijk bridge and at ferry points. A big percentage of the original 40,000 Germans in the pocket have already fled over the escape routes leaving strong reaguard forces, which are putting up a bitter fight. “Typhoons dropped anti-personnel bombs on the Germans on the muddy beaches on the southern bank of Hollandische Diep, between the Willemstad ferry and the Moerdijk bridge,” says Reuter’s correspondent with the Tactical Air Force. “The Germans had no cover except dykes and slit trenches, and after a few attacks they were in such a state of panic that they were running from one dyke to another in a vain attempt to escape.” Troops of the British 2nd Army in their new attack towards the Maas are reported to be only one or two miles from the river. Correspondents’ dispatches say that the Germans are withdrawing along the entire Maas front, leaving only rearguards. OFFTCIAL~SUMMARY. LONDON, November 4. An Allied communique issued on Saturday said: “On Walcheren Island the Allies have cleared Dornburg of the enemy. The regional commander of enemy troops in Flushing was captured yesterday. West of Flushing our troops joined with forces advancing along the coast from .Westkapelle. “Early yesterday morning Allied units from South* Beveland landed on the east side of the island and made good progress. Gun positions and strongpoints near Middleburg were bombed and strafed by fighterbombers. The build-up of supplies on Walcheren is being satisfactorily maintained. During the earlier .stages of the landing operation His Majesty’s ships supported the land forces by bombardment of guns and positions, and landings were successfully completed in spite of severe opposition from batteries. North-west of Oosterhout two bridgeheads established earlier have merged. There was heavy opposition in the vicinity of Den Hout. “Fighter-bombers attacked troop concentrations and military buildings north of Breda, and other fight-er-bombers attacked road and rail transport in Holland and the Ruhr. North-west of Weert (15 miles south of Helmond) the enemy has been driven out of the area between Bar-Je-Duc Canal and the Noorder Canal. ... n , J “South-east of Aachen fighterbombers closely supported the ground forces and attacked enemy units and tanks. Our forces made small gains- south of Vossenack against moderate to heavy resistance, and entered the town of Schmidt, two miles to the southwest. In the forest south of Vossenack we are clearing pillboxes against stubborn opposition. Medium, light and fighter-bombers attacked communications in the Rhine Valley and westward to the enemy line, and in the Moselle Valley. The targets included seven bridges and a railway tunnel. Additional gains were made in the Baccarat sector, where the village of Reherrey has been freed. East of Rentremont our troops in Vosges launched an attack, which made progress against stiff resistance. In the Maritime Alps Sospel and. several nearby villages and heights overlooking the Italian frontier north of Mentone were taken without resistance.” FURTHER GAINS LONDON, Nov. 5. To-day’s Allied Supreme Headquarters communique says:— “Flushing is now clear of the enemy. We have made some gains north of the town. Our units which landed on one side of Walcheren Island nave joined up with troops at the west end of the causeway. “On the Dutch mainland we have freed Steenbergen and Mieuw Vossemeer, four miles from Steenbergen. We have enlarged our bridgehead over the Mark River, north of Oudenbosch, and we are within a mile of Klunderl. Our bridgehead on the Oosterhout sector has been expanded northward, where we are within a mile of Geertruidenburg. We have freed Wallenburg. West of Venlo, we have continued to advance eastward along Noorder Canal, and have made some progress farther north.” GERMANS CROSS THE RIVER. RUGBY, November 5. - The predicted full Nazi retreatnorth to the line of the Maas is now almost accomplished, writes a correspondent with the 21st Army Group. In all the areas along the front of 50 miles west from Hertogenbosch to the sea enemy troops hold only thin defensive lines, or have pulled out entirely from the area south of the river. Already at points equalling altogether about 25 miles British Second Army vr Canadian troops have closed right up to the southern line of the river. British troops are operating to the west of Hertogenbosch across the. Afwaterings Canal. Following the capture of Drunen, two miles north of the Canal, they have driven across the lateral road and rail line connectinf

Hertogenbosch with Gcertridenburg, and this afternoon were just over a mile and a-half from the Maas and were still driving forward through light enemy defences or minefields. To-night the British forces are along the line of the river in strength, and the campaign which began a fortnight ago toward Hertogenbosch can a ’ to be in the final stages, spokesman at General Dempsey s Headquaiteis, to-night, said that to all intents an purposes the preparation lor clearing of the land north of the Aiwaiei ings Canal west of Hertogenbosch has been concluded. Troops m action in the vicinity of Heusden, south of where the Maas loops before flowiDo into the sea, have taken a small num ber of prisoners estimated at 160. n eluding a few S.S. elements, indicati that light defences have been patrols are now op to the south bank ol the Maas on a 1. front from Hertogenbosch to Geeiin denberg The last-named town is not yet in our hands. Allied forma ions hnvo captured Zevenbergen. To the north-west the town of Lundert is not yet in Allied hands. Our troops were m th?s vicinity a little more than hall a mile from the estuary, which thej were approaching in below-sea- ev territory, this afternoon. GAIN OF TWO MILES.

(Rec 11.20 a.m.) . _ u LONDON, November 5. The British have made gams up to two miles in their push across the Aftwaterings Canal (running weslward from Hertogenbosch), which was launched yesterday evening as the last remnants ol the ene ’£ y south of the Maas fled north .’ Wu Associated Press correspondent with the British Army. Backed by flamethrowers, tanks, and devastating artillery fire, the British have advanced halfway between the canal and the Maas, capturing four Jo seven miles west ol HeitOt,en , including Drunen, and cutting the main eastward road in .^ s * a t r J a f the The German radio stated that the 15 th German Army had completed its disengaging movement m South-west Holland The German News Agency auoted a High Command spokesman ?s■ saying tlmt the British, with massed air support, had resumed tnen at tacks against the Arnhem bridgehead. The British, last night, dropped sabotage parachutists behind the German lines to prevent the latter bringing up reinforcements. The claimed that all the parachutists weie wiped out or captured. A Canadian Press correspondent says Canadian and Polish patrols who entered Geertruidenburg found the town clear of the enemy. The Canadians crossed to Tolen Island °ccu pied it without opposition. The final clean-up of Walcheren is well under way.

“RAT RUN” SEALED

RUGBY, Nov. 5

The western end of the Nazi rat run” along the coastal strip west ol the Moerdijk bridges was sealed up, to-dav, with the taking of Onteloord, south of Steenbergen. In most of these northerly advances the bag of prisoners has been small. This, coupled with the plentifully-sown minefields in the path of the British, Canadian and American troops driving towards the Maas, denotes the Nazi Commands appreciation of the hopelessness ol the position of the German 712th and 19th divisions and other formations south of the Maas. There seems no doubt that these two divisions have been virtually annihilated in the course of our push to the Maas. . The position of the British and. Canadian infantry and commandos operation on Walcheren improves hourly. The enemy is now contained in a pocket almost two miles square on the island formed by the Walcheren waterways, the eastern coast line and the inundations centred around the town of Arnemidden. BATTLES~ENDING (Recd. 12.25 p.m.) LONDON, Noy. 5. The battles for control of Holland south o/ the Maas and Walcheren Island are coming to an end, says the British United Press correspondent at Twenty-first Army Group Headquarters. The whole German opposition south of the Maas is virtually finished. The Allied line is steadily moving forward with only minor pauses for mopping up. Walcheren is a tougher job but the Germans now hold an area only two by two miles, plus Middleburg and the coastal strip in the north. The Associated Press correspondent with the British Second Army says: General Dempsey’s forces north west of hertogenbosch to-day swept to the Maas and captured Heusden where they found only a small pocket of Germans guarding the ferry crossing whereby the main enemy force in this sector reached the north bank. Scottish troops under Canadian command overran the last gun positions at Walcheren from which the Germans fired on the Scheldt Estuary. They also penetrated within a thousand yards of Middleburg, says the Associated Press correspondent with the Canadian First Army. On the mainland four prongs, Poles, Americans, English and Canadians, pushed towards Hollandischediep, with advance elements after capturing Dinteloord within a half-mile of the estuary. The Allies are taking many prisoners. BRITISH LOSSES. LONDON, November 5. Reuter’s SHAEF correspondent says it has been announced that losses among the British in close support of the bombardment craft off Westkapelle during the landings were in the ratio of 20 to every 25, either sunk or so severely damaged that salvage was impossible. t AMERICAN OFFENSIVE GERMANS RECAPTURE TOWN ’"’’LONDON, Nov. 5/ American forces in Germany are again advancing on the small town of Schmidt. They captured the town yesterday, but after fierce fighting were driven out by the Germans. “Lieutenant-General Plodges’s 16mile salient into Germany is becoming the scene of a mounting battle,” says Reuter’s correspondent with the United States Ist Army. “The Germans counter-attacked three times to-day (Saturday). When the Germans recaptured Schmidt, American infantry called up dive-bombers, which shattered the entire village with 5001 b. bombs.” The German News Agency commentator (Sertorius) said the United States 3rd, 7th and 9th Armies are massing for a grand assault against the Saar. The 9th Army has taken over some of the 7th Army’s front round Belfort, and 7th Army forces have moved farther north. Third Army troops are deeply staggered and closelv bunched on both “sides of

AMERICANS REGAIN GROUND RUGBY, November 5. After some hard fighting, and m the face of severe opposition from heavy artillery and numerous pillboxes, American First Army troops, up to an early hour this morning, had regained about .500 yards of lost ground as the result of the enemy counter-attack at Schmidt, but they had not then recaptured the town, writes a correspondent at Supreme Headquarters. Further south and north-west of Metz . enemy reconnaissance in strength was repulsed, while in the area of Thionville Third Army elements are in the process of clearing out the town of Berg, on the western bank of the Moselle River, three miles south-east of the junction of Luxembourg and the German frontier. Further progress was made to-daj by General Hodge’s men in ironing out the 9000 square yards of cloverleaf salient they have held south-east of Aachen since Saturday, states a correspondent with the First American Army. In to-day’s fighting the infantry are clearing out the remnants of obstacles, which consist of mines and barbed wire, and which have held them back for two days. Up to yesterday they had cleared another 1000 square yards of the enemy about two and a-half miles west of Schmidt. In doing so, they captured a village and rubbed out five pillboxes.

FIGHT FOR SCHMIDT

RUGBY, November 5. Fighting is growing in intensity in the Hurtgen Forest area, southeast of Aachen, says Reuter’s correspondent with the American First Army. American infantry and tanks attacked throughout the day, but the Germans late to-day were still holding Schmidt. A number of tanks were knocked out. Over 100 fighterbombers attacked German positions. “We have encircled the pocket in which are now trapped two battalions of enemy infantry,” says a correspondent in the Aachen area. In the see-.saw battle all day over the salient, neavy fighting raged for the town of Schmidt. American tanks are now engaged in the battle for Schmidt.

AMERICANS OCCUPY BERG

(Rec. 1.5 p.m.) LONDON, November 5. Americans occupied Berg, 22 miles north-east of Metz, which has changed hands three times in the past two days, says Reuter’s correspondent witlx the United States Third Army. The? Germans used Berg as one of the mam Moselle crossings for patrol actions against Third Army forces.

GERMAN ARMY IN FRANCE

LONDON, November 5

“Giant six-engined German transports are nightly flying supplies to the German army, numbering between 60,000 and 100,000, isolated round LaRochelle,” says the “correspondent ol the “Daily Express” on the Bordeaux front. “The Germans are well equipped with heavy guns, tanks, armoured ears, mortars, machine-guns, and small arms and have a year’s supply of ammunition. Raids on the surrounding f ,countryside keep up the food supply. The Germans, who are experts in commando tactics, have made frequent sorties to get French cars, carts, and bicycles. They are regularly in touch with Germany by radio.”