RUNDSTEDT FAILING.

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 December 1944, Page 5

RUNDSTEDT FAILING.

RACE TOMEUSE CHECKED

GERMAN ARMOUR LOSSES HEAVY

Wedges Driven Into Flanks

LONDON, December 28. 1 To-day’s communique from Allied Supreme Headquarters says:— The Allied forces m Holland have continued to encounter active patrolling b\' the enemy forces along the River Maas, north of Tilburg and also north of Venlo. The. enemy made a small local attack at Gerbroek, tnree miles south-east of Maeseyck. Our troops, aftei' making a slight withdrawal, counter-attacked. . They regained their original positions. Hie Monschau-Malmedy sector remains quiet; Both sides are there carrying out active patrolling. The enemy has attacked at a number of places on the north flank of his salient. Heavy fighting continues at Grand Menil and Manhay. We have repulsed stiong German attacks two miles north-west of Lierneux and near Humam Havrenne. n . Small groups of enemy tanks have been observed in the triangle formed by Rochefort, Beauraing, and Saint Hubert, but the enemy’s armoured patrols which are pushing from Rochefort to Cedes, have been less active. Those that have been encountered have been severely dealt with. In the area of Saint Hubert, which is now in enemy hands, we have encountered mines, road blocks, and blown up bridges. , . _ Allied forces, advancing up from the south, have made contact with the units holding Bastogne at a point about three miles south of the town. During the period of their encirclement. the units in Bastogne inflicted severe damage on the enemy. The day before they were relieved they repulsed two German attacks. It is estimated that 27 German tanks were destroyed. There were 250 prisoners taken. The enemy in a third attack, lost four out of five tanks participating. In the area south-east of Bastogne, we cleared enemy forces from Bonnal and Insenborn. and crossed the Sure River in three places near Bonnal. Eschdorf has, after heavy fighting, been cleared of the enemy. There has been a strong enemy counter-at-tack, with infantry, in the vicinity of Ringel. It was repulsed. North-west of Echternach we encircled Beaufort, and are mopping up Berdorf. Ground action in the Wissemburg area, near the Rhine, has been limited to patrol clashes and an artillery exchange. North of Colmar we have made local gains. GERMAN ALTERNATIVE. LONDON, December 28. Midnight messages from. Supreme Headquarters said: “The Germans are attacking hard round Verdenne, three miles east of Marche (17 miles from the Meuse at Dinant). We have recaptured Eschdorf. “Ninth Air Force fighters and fight-er-bombers, in 1200 sorties on Wednesday, encountered about 200 enemy aircraft and shot down 39 for the loss of 11. They damaged or destroyed about 140 German tanks and armoured vehicles, and also dive-bombed and strafed more than 20 Germanheld towns. They dive-bombed German troops and transport.” The Associated Press correspondent with the Ist Army says that pilots report that the Germans are setting on fire their tanks and other vehicles in the Celles area (near the Meuse). A British liaison officer told the British United Press correspondent: “The Germans seemed to be buoyed up by the belief that all they had to do was to race to the Meuse; but this is not 1940. We were able to move our reserves into position. The Germansi must now either withdraw from the salient they have forced into our lines, or be wiped out where they stand, unless they find new reserves to consolidate the line they have reached.” The relief of Bastogne, which occurred at noon on Tuesday, came soon after the local German commander had demanded the garrison’s surrender within two hours, which the AmeriThe Official German News Agency savs that Field-Marshal Montgomery has gone to General Eisenhower’s headquarters as advised. It admitted that the German forces in several Luxembourg sectors had been pulled back to outposts of the Siegfried Line. GERMANS PUSHED BACK SITUATION IMPROVING (Rec. 10.50 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 28. American forces on the Western Front have driven two strong wedges into' the northern and southern flanks of the German thrust into Belgium. Rundstedt has made practicaly no progress in any sector during the past 24 hours, says the Associated Press correspondent at SHAEF Latest reports indicate that his southern flank for 35 miles back to the German frontier is sagging under the American attacks, while our threat to the entire bulge is growing. Reuter’s correspondent at SHAEF reports that German spearheads west of Rochefort have been pushed back three miles in heavy fighting. Several hundred prisoners were captured from a German force surrounded between Rochefort and Celles. The Americans have recaptured Grandmenil and Manhay, on the northern flank. The German News Ageincy admits the loss of Echternach, on the southern flank. The earlier German News Agency commentator, Guenther Weber, said that the Germans between Gastogne and Echternach have gone over to an “elastic defence.” He added that the fiercest tank battle in the western campaign was going on at Bastogne. Eisenhower was throwing in increasing masses of men and material in the Ardennes, in the effort to halt the Germans. The British United Press correspondent at SHAEF says the Americans made gains all along the front between Bastogne and Echternach. There are reports which might inaicate that Rundstedt’s advance formations are abandoning equipment, retreating over the hills to the centre of the break-through. These units m some cases have run out of petrol. In others they were cut off.

MEN AND VEHICLES CAPTURED

Five hundred S.S .troops were taken prisoner in the centre bulge at the extreme end of the western advance. One American corps has taken over 100 vehicles in the past 24 hours. Our Tactical Air Forces yesterday destroyed 129 armoured vehicles damaged 57, and also destroyed 651 and damaged 183 other transport. Ths weather broke this morning. A sleet storm covered the front with ice and air activity seemed impossible. Reuter’s correspondent on the Western Front declares that Rundstedt’s gains are becoming losses. The German jabs are losing weight and momentum, and more Germans are being wounded or taken prisoners. We in some sectors are holding firm. The Germans in some very limited local sectors have advanced. They in others have been pushed out from positions. Rundstedt holds a considerable area of precipitous terrain. and intends to hold the corner of Belgium as long as possible, but. the over-all picture is probably happier

than since the opening ol the Gelman offensive. _ j The position in the Bastogne are« is healthier than for more than a week. Sound, solid relief is through, Reuter’s SHAEF correspondent reports. German tanks are heavily attacking the thin American corridor, which is a link with the Bastogne garrison. The German traffic which choked the roads has been thinned out by devastating air hammering. The Germans, growing tired of tne mounting vehicle casualties and the constant job of clearing up the debris, are now making the most oi their large-scale movements at night, then our Mosquitos attack. It is a round-the-clock hunt. AMERICAN SUCCESSES (Recd. 1.25 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 28. The Americans striking from the south against Rundstedt’s salient captured seven villages and advanced three and a-half miles in some sectors, says Reuter’s correspondent. They took twelve hundred prisoners in twenty-four hours and left one thousand German dead on the fi-eld. Another thousand Germans were taxen prisoner in the north-eastern sector south of Liege. Rundstedt faces the threat oi complete annihilation of his elite divisions unless he chooses to gamine more remaining reserves. The Americans are already squeezing the salient into a death trap which according to latest reports have cost Rundstedt at least four hundred burnt-out tanks in the first twelve days of his attack. The Associated Press correspondent at SHAEF points out that the “waist” of the German salient from Bastogne to Grandmenil is only twenty-one miles. AIRMEN’S GREAT WORK. RUGBY, Dec. 28. Winter is playing its part to-day in the area of German penetration ol the Western Front. Snow is falling, frozen road surfaces are adding to the combatants’ supply difficulties, and fog has restricted air activity. Nevertheless, further Allied progress is reported. Latest news from a correspondent at SHAEF is that Allied troops have pushed the Germans back about three miles from Celles (four miles east of Dinant), taking several hundred prisoners. “We aie exerting pressure on the southern flank,” says the correspondent, and advanced a mile from Bonnal to take Liefragne, 54 miles south-west of Wiltz. The same correspondent earlier said that news from the Western Front continues fairly encouraging. In many parts of the German bulge, which measures roughly 50 miles by 30, enemy activity has been considerably slowed down if not stopped. Although fairly strong attacks continue against points along the northern flank between Stavelot and Marche, they seem less co-ordinated and designed rather to impede our troops. , ~ . There is no doubt about the part played by our air forces in reducing the scale of the present offensive by disrupting the enemy supply lines, and making movement ot material and reinforcements difficult and dangerous. This effect will be even more pronounced if the weather permits. From a point north-west of bastogne and right round the southern flank to Eohternach, we made gains at various places. The enemy appear io have been pushed back over the frontier east of Ethernach, while to the north-west, they are reported PUlnng back trying to repair a river bridge. We now have a narrow coriiciqi right through to Bastogne, which is being subjected to numerous attacks. In the 'north, enemy patrols continue to cross the Maas. Describing the desperate rebel ol Bastogne, the correspondent says. Io keep our gallant men supplied with all necessities to enable them to meet continuous onslaughts. T ? e mans who were striving to i educe them before the s , outl ?‘? a ?i„ n J O fup could make contact with them, the Allied airborne command carried out what they claim to be their largest contact supply mission flown to date Over 800 Dakotas and more than 50 gliders were engaged during the tom days December 23 to yesterday. One flight, in addition to supplies, carried medical teams and first aid personnel. Another group of gliders earned sig nal equipment, medical supplies, and ammunition of all calibres. developments reviewed FRONTS BECOMING SOLID. ('Rec. • Noon^Q ND Q]\j ) December 28. Allied forces have halted the German advance westward and fuithei squeezed the Ardennes salient, says the British United Press correspondent at SHAEF, referring to the news of the wiping out of the pocket m German armour m the Cedes aiea, and also the recapture of important centre of Echternach which was the southern hinge of the German salient positions, and Manhay which stands at the junction of two mam roads leading to Liege and Namur. The position looks better in all sectors, even though very little air activity was pos sible to-day. There were 20 degrees of frost on the Western Front, and the roads are covered with snow and ice. For the first time since Rundstedt launched the attack, the fluid uncontrolled nature of the breakthrough is being replaced by firm solid fronts on more and more sectors. American artillery battered to pieces a large German force whic i was surrounded in a wood at Celles. Those not slaughtered were taken prisoner. The troops who recaptured Echternach worked their way through the wood north of the town, while another Allied force smashed against the second critical spot of the German southern flank recapturing the villages of Lief range and Ringel, south-east of Bastogne. A mile wide American corridor to Bastogne held firm against German counter-attacks, at least for the first 24 hours to midday, yesterday. There is every indication that the lifeline is solid. Two hundred German tanks have been knocked out on the approaches to Bastogne in the past eight days. The British United Press correspondent at Twenty-first Army Group Headquarters says that the 30 miles stretch between Stavelot and Rochefort is now the scene of the heaviest fighting. Here, Americans recaptui - ed Manhay and Grandmenil and partly recaptured Humam. All these places are important junctions wheie roads emerging from the Ardennes form a knot before spraying out towards the Meuse. They are the key to any further westward movement, and it is here the battle first turned in favour of the Allies. From Rochefort, which is still held by the enemy there is a slightly less consolidated front turning south-eastward to ihe area of Saint Hubert, from which place the line becomes a series m: minor battlepoints, where the Ame-’i- : cans are steadily pushing northward across what used to be the German line running to Echternach. The most westerly fight seems to

be going on at Verre, three miles south-east of. Colles, where the Associated Press correspondent on me Western Front says a violent battle is developing. The Exchange Telegraph correspondent at SHAEF says that Allied gains in the Luxembourg sector oi the southern front are averaging one mile dailv and farther westward two miles daily. It is officially disclosed that General Patton’s Third Army is driving north in an attack against the southern flank of Rundstedt’s salient. It was the third Army’s tanks which fought their way through ten miles of the fierce German resistance m live days to relieve the Bastogne garrison. GERMAN CHANGED TONE.

The tone of German, references to the Western Front is more uncertain says “The Times’s” Stockholm correspondent, with remarks in Berlin reports such as “the whole character of the battle has changed since Tuesday,” and suggestions that tne struggle is tending to develop into a disorderly battle of destruction. German News Agency commentator, Sertorius, after recalling that German spokesmen have repeatedly predicted the heaviest fighting was still to come adds: “Now it has come. The German offensive has met headon Allied front resistance, which has stiffened remarkably. Eisenhower has not only committed the majority of the Third Army to the southern edge of the German bulge, but also a goon deal of the Seventh Army/’ The German sponsored Scandinavian Telegraph Bureau says: Rundstedt’s offensive opened the eyes ot the German soldiers, who have no idea what the simplest comforts mean. “In the Ardennes they found American camps equipped with the same comforts and luxuries as a small cuy. They discovered pineapple juice and other fruits of whose existence they hardly knew. The stores of cigarettes, sweets and tinned goods astonished them.” LACK OF INTELLIGENCE. WASHINGTON, December ?7. General Peyton March, who was the Chief of Staff for the American Forces in the first World War, has expressed the opinion that it is almost unthinkable that 200,000 men, with material, could have been massed against the American lines without the American Intelligence discovering what was going on. This failure, he said, suggested there had been a complete breakdown in the military intelligence. He asked: Could you imagine the whole population of Richmond, Virginia, moving towards Washington without our knowing it? He said he refused to accept the theory that the weather was responsible. MR. STIMSON’S COMMENT. WASHINGTON, December 28. The latest news from Belgium is favourable, but the overall situation continues critical, said Mr. Stimson at a Press conference to-day. He explained that the Germans thus far had failed to expand their salient, which was necessary for deeper penetration. “The enemy must soon endeavour to do so, because time is working against him. War is not an easy game. We cannot win every battle, but I am confident we are winning.” Instancing heavy German casualties, Mr. Stimson said Germans taken prisoner in one sector reported two panzer regiments had suffered. t>o per cent casualties. Mr. btirnson thought it too early to pass judgmem on whether anyone should be censured in connection with the German break-through. He added: Undoubtedly the Germans took advantage o.t every physical possibility, including the weather, darkness, and the wooded terrain; also the excellent stall work facilities and secret concentration. Mr. Stimson praised the restraint of the Press and Radio in not. yielding to temptation and violently | criticise our commanders. He said the German propaganda, aesignwi to. split the Allies undoubtedly was ouv f consideration for launching the offensive. Since the United States entered the war, the enemy had exerted all propaganda with cleverness to effect a cleavage in the British-Ameri-can front of free press and had been particularly vicious and ingenious in attempting to divide the Russians and ourselves. BRITISH PRESS OPINIONS LONDON, December 28. “The news is neither unexpectedly good or unexpectedly bad,” comments the military correspondent 01. “The Times” on the German offensive in Belgium. “The enemy is undoubtedly striking out for the Meuse and will almost certainly reach it a<. some points, but unless he succeeds in widening his salient he can scarcely get much further with impunity. The salient is wide now, but not sufficiently wide for indefinite extension westward. It is allimportant that the ‘haunches should continue to hold firm. So far there seems to be a good prospect that they 1 The “Daily Express” correspondent (Alan Moorehead), writing from the Western Front, expresses the opinion that a German attempt to break directly through to the sea has failed.' He ’says: “During the Christmas, week-end the German drive faltered, changed direction, and faltered again.] Then they were caught by tne; heaviest concentrated air blow yet known in modern war. The advance goes on, but on a much narrower salient ;and for the first time one can say definitely that it can be controlled. .“When von Rundstedt saw there was no immediate future to his thrust through Malmedy, which was aimed at a "quick conquest of Liege and then exploitation through Louvain i and Brussels to Antwerp, he switched | his main armour, which was still for-j midable, to the longer route that runsi through Marche to Namur, rhe battle lor Namur is still on, but the first great crisis has gone. Von Rundstedt, is getting very near the end ol ms known reinforcements,, but he is stiff] in a favoured position.” Moorehead suggests that tne lint| ol argument that this is “the besvi thing" possible for us,” since Germans have at last exposed themselves, should be taken with a grain of salt. “The Germans had a limited victory last week,” he said. ‘We will, be doing very well if we can continue to bold" them.” SUPPLIES PROBLEM Moorehead, who is regarded as one of the most reliable war correspondents, considers the war with Germany can last until next August, that is, taking no account of Russia and making no provision for miracles. He declares: “We won the European war last August when the Germans were just about to surrender; but we failed to make it by the barest margin. Lieutenant-General. Patton s supplies ran out, then LieutenantGeneral Hodge’s, and then FieldMarshal Montgomery’s. The Germans pitched anything and everything into the line, and it was just enough to tip the balance.” . . Moorehead expresses the view that the day the Allies re-establish the same set of circumstances which existed in France last August, there is an immediate possibility of the collapse of Germany. “I cannot see us doing that this Winter,” he says. “I cannot see that we can beat the combination of the Winter, the Rhine,, aria the Germans. However, the Winter will disappear in April, rivers have never been a major obstacle in Mis V’C/i’, 00 l’g’U * OH V. C

took two months to fight, which takes us forward to about July. Another month for mopping up gives the final collapse in August. I repeat my belief that v,t- won the war last . August. What remains now is a punitive expedition into Germany.”

STORY Or BREAK-THROUGH

AMERICAN RECOVERY

LONDON, December 28. The story of von Rundstedt’s break-through in Belgium is now told by correspondents on the Western Front. The Exchange Telegraph Agency’s correspondent says: “It is now clear that von Rundstedt’s first unheralded punches towards the Meuse caught the American formations off balance and enabled his panzer columns to make serious penetrations. Fog, surprise, and massed armour with tremendous backing by infantry were all in the enemy’s favour for the first two or three days. The first and most threatening of these panzer drives was 4n .a north-westerly direction towards Liege and the Meuse. The panzer formations in the centre and south pushed west and south. “Von Rundstedt’s efforts to gam bridgeheads across the Meuse were frustrated by several factors. The panzers in the drive on the northwest hinge between Stavelot and Monschau were held by the strength of the Americans. When this effort failed, the panzers were switched to the more central but north-westerly-curving drive towards Lagleize. This was effectively stopped, and the German spearhead surrounded. An Ame - rican ’division fought with remarkable gallantry in this battle for the hinge. “Von Rundstedt’s intentions m another area were ruined by the resourcefulness and gallantry of an American armoured division which fought a remarkable staying action, preventing in that sector the disintegration of oui positions. American infantry which were rushed to this sector gave an extra fillip to our defences, and the enemy had to consider getting round the hinge in the more westerly drive. . - . “Another United States formation, in the Bastogne area in the south, also played an extremely gallant holding role which the history ol the battle will reveal as most vital during the period when other American forces were pressing northwards towards the battle area. “After the failure of these attempts to make a widespread break-: through, the panzers concentrated on an attempt to drive westward from the centre of the salient created during the first few days in the direction of the River Ourthe, operating m collaboration with the panzers m the south. To develop this move, yon Rundstedt needed to take certain towns, which he failed to do. Enem,y tanks during the last few days have been pushing westward towards Dinant, on the Meuse, but with their failure to win the first big push, it. JSi likely that the enemy will cease this un-co-ordinated probing aneftnat tne tanks will be withdrawn while von Rundstedt works out or puts into action an alternative plan tor further attack. ENEMY’S LARGE FORCE “The air weather after the first Lew days of the attack was sufficiently good to enable our air forces to battei considerably 3t least two panze divisions, particularly in the haictpvessed southern part oi the front. Von Rundstedt’s problems will grow if good air weather continues, and ne has only one answer for the future another attempted forward drive. An .important factor is that he has. commuted the vast majority ot his reserves. There are at present move than 20 badlv mauled German divisions. At least 200 tanks have been destroyed. Air attacks have also had a telling effect against the enemy s 1 correspondent says: “The i idea behind the offensive was to use ! certain forces as a, ? l explosi y e t ling-ram that would crash throng.* ir.R Hues and leave a .corridor loi Ju. o iowffv divisions. Von Rundstedt .' T Everything 'he had-panzers nmiimr grenadiers, paratroops, mianV v the Luftwaffe, and V-weapons. The S.S. troops went, through alarm-iu-Hv at first, but were effective!} topped "and their spearheads surroimded. When von Rundstedt gaythe signal nearly 300,000 men witn tanks guns, and mortars advanced. There were 10 panzer or panzer <?renadier divisions in the ca^ ia S ?f We were caught off balance and oit guard. Von Rundstedt gamed 200 J square miles ot Luxemburg■ 3e L gium in 12 days and adycinced 08 miles His advances to-day cun nl- - only in yards. 1 penetration is from the starting poim six miles west of Pruem to a two miles east of Celles wyhich is, five miles from the Meuse at Dinant.

should not bridge the Rhine. Oiieo.ai bridgehead is sf-cure it is possmiei that we sbol'l have the .o.'itlic- r.f Normandy afl over again cm a rnuun larger scale. The Normandy ban-e