BRITISH FIGHT WAY TO RIVER

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21550, 1 November 1944, Page 3

BRITISH FIGHT WAY TO RIVER

ALLIED DRIVE ON WALCHEREN ISLAND - (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (11.20 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 31. The flight of the Germans over the Mark Canal, Moerdijk bridgehead and ferries to central Holland resulted in scenes similar to those when their battered Seventh Army fled to the Seine River. The Germans are going back in droves, using every form of transport for themselves and their equipment. The Allies are fighting their way to the Maas River through waist-deep icy water in ditch after ditch and dyke after dyke. Front-line correspondents agree that the battle in south-west Holland has almost ended. The Associated Press correspondent with the British Second Army says that the victorious British and Canadians are sweeping the last remnants of the German 15th Army back across the Maas. The bulk of the German forces, originally estimated at 120,000, have been withdrawn north of the Maas and only 10,000 to 20,000 remain to fight delaying rearguard actions south of the river. A staff officer said: “It can be only a ; matter of days before the Germans are pushed back to the Maas on the west flank of our salient. There is no sign of rout or panic in the enemy’s withdrawal, but they are pulling out fast. The British United Press correspondent reports that British troops reached a lme commanding the Maas north of Loon-op-Zand on a 10,000-yards front about 3000 yards from the river, from which they are separated by marshes. According to the Exchange and Telegraph Agency’s correspondent at 21st Army Group Headquarters the British, after their capture of Kapelle, pushed to within 1000 yards of Maas. » The Allied drive from South Beveland to Walcheren Island is meeting severe opposition. The attack was opened at dawn to-day under fire from 88m.m. guns and mortars. Only the crust remains to be defended on Walcheren as the rest of the island is floodedv