LIBERATING HOLLAND

Greymouth Evening Star, 7 November 1944, Page 5

LIBERATING HOLLAND

BRITISH BY THE MAAS

GAINS ON WALCHEREN

PROGRESS BY AMERICAN TROOPS

LONDON, November 6. I Excellent progress has been made by the British and Canadian armies in South-west Holland in the last 24 hours, according to to-day’s communique from Supreme Headquarters They have swept up to or close to, the Maas from the area of Hertogenbosch almost down to the sea The remnants of the German 15th Army south of the river have, been herded into two rapidly shrinking pockets. I Correspondents point out that with ■ the capture of Geertruidenberg the British 2nd Army firmly holds the south bank of the Maas for 15 miles between Geertruidenberg and Hertogenbosch. , ! On Walcheren Island, British troops were last reported to be fighting on the outskirts of the town of: Middleburg. Mosquitoes of the Tactical Air, Force were out last night in front of j the 2nd Army striking hard at Ger-| man communications. They destroyed. 15 trains and 10 barges ferrying Ger-| man troops over the Maas at Moer- > dik. I

On the east bank of the Dutch salient hard fighting continues near the town of Meigel, a few miles west of Venloo.

“The British without much difficulty captured Arnemuiden, on Walcheren Island, which the Germans had declared an open town because of the hospital installations there,” says Reuter’s correspondent at Supreme Headquarters. “Nieuland, a village south of Arnemuiden, was also occupied. Only a few German suicide resistance parties remain on Walcheren.”

“Since the Germans opened the dykes more than three-quarters of Walcheren Island has been submerged,” says the Associated Press correspondent at Supreme Headquarters. “Pilots who flew over the area on Sunday saw only a few roofs and windmills with sails still turning in the bleak, watery graveyard.” OFFICIAL SUMMARY. LONDON, November 6. To-day’s Supreme Allied Headquarter’s communique says:— “Excellent progress has been made in Western Holland. We have approached the line of the Maas and the Hollandische Diep. The enemy has been cleared from Heusden, Gertrui-. denburg, Klundert, and Dinetllord and we are operating on Tholen Island and on Philipsland Isthmus (north of Tholen). “On Walcheren Island progress has been made north-east of Dornburg. We are within one thousand yards of the south of Middelburg. Heavy fighting continues in the Mejel area. “We have made small gains in the Hurtgen Forest sector against stubborn resistance, extensive minefields, covered by artillery, and small-arms fire, have hindered our progress south- i west of the town of Hurtgen. Our units near Konnerscheld, three-quarters of a mile north-west of Schmidt, have continued to meet strong pressure from enemy tanks, infantry, and artillery fire. Mopping up has been continued in a forest approximately one mile west of Schmidt. We have maintained progress in the Baccarat sector. We captured the village of Saint Barbe four miles south of Baccarat. Fighters and fighter-bombers attacked troop concentrations, strongpoints, ammunition dumps, and flak positions in the Dunkirk area, and also cut rail lines in northern and eastern Holland. Fighter-bombers attacked dumps and military buildings in the Aachen, Bonn and Kiaserlautse, and Vierson areas. Fighterbombers attacked tanks and troops near Schmidt, and c%t rail lines m several places in the Rhineland. Four enemy planes were shot down and 34 were destroyed on the ground. Seven of our planes are missing. GAINS BY OFFENSIVE.

(Rec. 10.10 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 6. Advances were made in all sectors at Walcheren to-day, says Renter’s correspondent at 21st Army Group Headquarters. Troops pushing down the south-east coast from Nieuwland reached a gap in the dyke separating them from other Allied forces east of Flushing. The momentum of the Allied drive on the north-east coast was maintained. The troops are now on the canal north of Veere, which is the last coastal town on the island in German hands. The Associated Press correspondent with the British 2nd Army quotes a spokesman as saying:' The British and Canadians since the beginning of the offensive 15 days ago to push the Germans over the Mass took prisoner 25,000 and probably killed - or wounded over 40,000. The offensive ha« liberated 1200 square miles of Dutch territory and freed over half a million Dutch from German oppression. The spokesman added that the German 15th Army, now on the north side of the Mass, is so depleted its divisions are probably only a quarter strength. The Berlin radio to-day repeated the report put out yesterday of the renewal of British attacks against the Arnhem bridgehead anct the dropping of British sabotage _ paratroops behind the German lines in the Arnhem area. These reports are stil lunconfirmed from Allied sources. BRIDGES DAMAGED (Recd. 11.45 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 6. Two spans of the Moerdijk railbridge over the Maas and one span of the road bridge are under water, states Reuter’s correspondent at 21st Army Group Headquarters. The Germans have also blown up the Eusden Brodge. The British United Press correspondent says that many other spans of both the Moerdijk bridges appear to be damaged. MANY GERMAN ATTACKS (Recd. 11.45 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 6. The Germans moved up a strong artillery concentration in the Hurtgen area, tb-day, states Reuter’s correspondent with the American First Army. The battle continues with many German counter-attacks, one of which temporarily drove the American forces from positions in the small town of Vossenack, at the eastern edge of the forest. The Americans recovered their positions with the aid of Lightings and Thunderbolts. The town of Schmidt has not yet been regained, and tank-battles are still going on. An American staff officer said the massing of German artillery partly confirmed the report that General Brandenberger is now leading the Germans in the Hurtgen area.

FRENCH RECRUITS.

LONDON, November 6

An Exchange Telegraph Agency correspondent with the French Army says: Young French soldiers of General de Gaulle’s new army on Sunday were the first French patrol since May. 1940, to stand on the heights dominating the Alsatian Plain. These French forces won their positions

after fighting knee-deep in mud, and electing Germans from the last crests of the heights, which had appeared almost impregnable. , The correspondent discloses that the the Germans’on this. front have used a high voltage electric wire for then second line ft barbed-wire entang ements. He saw charred bodies of vic tims who had tried to cut the wnes. 200,000 TH PRISONER. | LONDON, November 6. An Exchange Telegraph Agency coirespondent with the U.S., \ irs Army says: The First Army s two hundred thousandth prisoner taken since D Day was a veteran of the Russian front. He told his captors he thought the Allies were fighting a gentlemanly war.” , DUNKIRK BOMBED. LONDON, November 6. After a quiet week the German garrison in Dunkirk, endured a hail ol bombs, rockets and cannon fire from R.A.F. Typhoons and Spitfires in a quick, smashing attack on Sunday. The attack followed a report of a large concentration of troops in houses in the town. Two ammunition dumps and numerous buildings were blown up. Intelligence officers believe large casualties were inflicted on the garrison. BRITISH PRESS COMMENTS. (N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent ) (Rec. 11.40 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 6. The vital importance of the port of Antwerp is emphasised by military commentators, who express the opinion that the delay in being able to use it has been serious, but that the effect of this new supply base for the Western Allies should be felt in a few weeks. i “Scrutator,” m the Sunday Times,” expresses the opinion that the benefit will not be confined to the British and Canadian Army, but will extend to the whole front, where adequate reserves of ammunition to support an offensive on the largest scale can be built up for the first time. He says, however, it is doubtful if a fair opening for a large offensive will occur till the Spring. He adds that the ground all along the main front to Germany is soppy with 10 weeks almost daily rain. Even if November turned rainless it would take a long time to dry the surface at this time of the year when the sun is so low and the days so short. j , ~ ~ Despite the statement that theie will be “no Winter respite” “Scrutator” expresses the opinion that the prospects for an attempt at a general invasion of Germany before March do not seem bright. He continues: Save m Hungary and Nortn Norway the Russians are also neid up. Their great, offensive against East Prussia has passed out ot the news. It may soon be revived, but, for the present, it has been- baffled. The vital Warsaw front seems to be in the same case. We do ™ ow how far the weather contributed to the standstill, but we do know that it is usual in Russia for Autumn rains about now to stop campaigning. In East Prussia the cold is less intense than in Russia proper, and although the Russians, with good luck, might get the kind of weather they know sb well how to utilise they cannot be sure of it. Tne Russian campaign in Hungary and the capture of Budapest will have iosuits similar to those of °ur campaign in Zeeland and North Brabant, it is not an invasion of Germany, but it will shorten and notably improve Russia’s lines of commumcatlo“Sirategicus,” in “The Spectator,” says that a captured order of the day suggests that once Antwerp is in full use by the Allies they may have a chance of dealing a dea V?jbMw . the Germans before the Winter and no doubt that is the hope of the Allied Command. He adds: It cannot be said, even now, that the port will be in full use within a week or two. It should be and probably- will be, but before ships can enterthepotwth safety and regularity the Dutch is lands will need to be cleared and it will be necessary to liberate the west of Holland.