CLEAN-UP IN HOLLAND

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 November 1944, Page 5

CLEAN-UP IN HOLLAND

GERMANS’ HOPELESS STAND

AMERICAN NEW OFFENSIVE ~LONDON, Nov. 8. In south-western Holland a small isolated German force is still carrying on a hopeless struggle at Moerdijk, near the mouth of the Maas. This is the last German pocket south of the river. Behind the enemy troops are the wrecked bridges across the Maas estuary. On Walcheren Island there is slight German resistance in the northern part of the island, the remainder of which is in Allied hands. These Germans are also in a hopeless position. On the American Ist Army s front, south-east of Aachen, there is still fighting in the small town of Vossencak. Two enemy attacks have been beaten off near the town of Schmidt, which is still held by the Germans. To-day’s communique from Allied Supreme Headquarters says: With the freeing of Willemstad, we now hold the entire south shore of Hollandische Diep and of the Maas River, with the exception of the area east and south of the destroyed Moerdijk bridges. There a small isolated enemy force is still holding out. Fighting continues on Walcheren Island, northeast of Dornburg. Resistance has ceased elsewhere on. the island. Action continues in the Hurtgen Forest sector, with little change in the positions. Fighting is still progressing in Vossenack. We have, farther south, repulsed two counterattacks from the vicinity of Schmidt. West of Schmidt we have improved our positions and mopped up pockets O'* posistcinco Rain has slowed down ground op- 4 erations in the Luneville-Renniere-mont sector. We have repulsed a strong counter-attack west of Gerardmer after stiff fighting. NO CHANGE (Recd. 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 8. There is no change in the Allies’ position on the eastern side of the Dutch salient, states a report from Supreme Headquarters. We are still on the outskirts of Meijel, while the Americans are see-sawing in the Hurtgen forest area where they are consolidating their holdings beating off small counter-attacks. The Germans are building up in the Schmidt area. Third Army activity was restricted to patrolling. Reuter’s correspondent with the Canadian First Army reports that Poles to-day launched an attack to clean up three hundred fanaticallyfighting Germans who are pinned against the end of the blown-up, Moerdijk bridge. ACHIEVEMENTS REVIEWED. (Rec. 11.50 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 8, ■ Bitter fighting went on all to-day on the high ground in the Hurtgen Forest, south-east of Aachen, says Reuter’s correspondent with the American Ist Army. The Americans fell back a few hundred yards further, but the Germans lost more tank's and are estimated to have suffered 2400 casualties in the past few days. Dive-bombers, to-day, attacked the German positions in clear weather. Reviewing the operations on the British-Canadian front since the Canadians crossed the Leopold Canal, on October 6, a spokesman at General Montgomery’s Headquarters said' “We cleared the Scheldt approaches to Antwerp, liberated an area 20 miles deep on a 40-miles front, took 38,000 to 40,000 Germans prisoner, inflicted perhaps the same number of casualties, and destroyed the German 64th Division south of the Scheldt and the 70th Division on Walcheren.” , Allied troops, to-day, captuied Vrouwenpolder, in Northern Walcheren, the front otherwise being quiet throughout Holland.

AMERICAN NEW OFFENSIVE

(Rec. 10.25 a.m.) . LONDON, Novemoer 8. The American Third Army, this morning, launched an attack between Metz and Nancy and advanced about one mile. They crossed the Seille River at several places and liberated several villages, says Reuter’s SHAEr correspondent. Fighter-bombers supported the attack, which opened after a heavy artillery barrage. The German News Agency stated that the United States Seventh Army, reinforced by formations from the Third Army, launched a major offensive aimed against the Saar Basin, with the by-passing and encirclement of the Metz bridgehead as the first objective. . . „ , * ' Troops of the American first Army, fighting south-east of Aachen against continued savage artillery fire and repeated counter-attacks, were forced, last night, to fall back slightly in the Schmidt sector to high ground two miles north-west of Schmidt, says the Exchange Telegraph Agency’s correspondent. The Americans, to-day, opened a new fight for this salient. The Americans have made progress in the other parts of the Schmidt sector. RUGBY, November 8. In their new attack the 3rd Army crossed the River Seille at several points in the area of Rouves, seven miles due east of Pont a Mousson, and liberated four small villages in their stride. The objective of the attack is to achieve a general improvement of the 3rd Army positions, and the scale of the operation has not yet been revealed. j jA TER.

The Americans attacking on a 25mile front between Metz and Nancy captured Nomency, Moyenvic, and 11 other towns, in the advance up to three miles, says Reuter’s correspondent with the American Third Army. Very bad weather deprived the troops of the support of heavy bombers, but dive-bombers were active, and a preliminary bombardment is believed to have included large scale use of rockets.

GERMAN VERSION.

(Recd. 1.45 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 8. The German New Agency’s correspondent Guenthere Weber, from the west front headquarters said: “The Allies’ great offensive against Ger-, many has started. Patton’s Third Army in streaming rain this morning launched a major offensive between Metz and Luneville. A thousand Allied guns put up a drumfire 'attack launched by six infantry and several armoured divisions. German quarters are sure Pattpn’s offensive is only the first of a great Autumn offensive against the Reich, and that the battle will spread in all sectors of the Front within a few hours.” DUNKIRK~EXPLOSIONS. LONDON, November 8. Explosions were heard on the southeast coast of England for many hours, to-day, from the Dunkirk area, leading to the belief that German ammunition dumps were blown up by bombers and fighters which crossed the 37 miles of sea during the day. MONTGOMERY SWORD. LONDON, November 8. Reuter’s Brussels correspondent says: A sword of honour from grateful Belgians has been presented to Marshal Montgomery at a castle somewhere in Belgium. An inscription on the sword reads: “To our liberator, 19/9/44. From the Belgians

of the knights of the Maltese Order. Handed over by Prince de Ligne, President of the Organisation.”