WAY NOW CLEAR

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21551, 2 November 1944, Page 5

WAY NOW CLEAR

USE OF ANTWERP ALLIES’ HARD FIGHT NAZIS FEAR~OFFENSIVE LONDON, Oct. 31. While British troops are fighting for the Maas River crossing to-night, General Dempsey’s spokesman announced that “the battle for the port of Antwerp is over in our favour,” stated the Daily Express correspondent in Holland to-night. Our troops overwhelmed the stiffest opposition since Caen in some of the worst weather of the war. Many have been battling non-stop day and night, fighting often up to their waists in water, fording rivers, canals and streams. They left the ditches and dykes piled high with German dead. The Daily Mail says that all that remains south of the Maas is vast mopping-up operations. When it is complete, General Montgomery will have shortened his line in western Holland from something like 150 miles to about 35 miles. Great Offensive Predicted

The Berlin radio to-night stated that Field Marshal Montgomery has kept intact his masses of troops in the Nijmegen sector "for a great offensive in the direction of the north German plain.” It added that these troops nave not been used in the south Holland offensive nor drawn upon to meet the German counter-attacks south-east of Eindhoven. Instead, two American formations were placed under Field Marsnai Montgomery s command, one south-east of Eindhoven and the other in the drive towards the Maas. British remiorcements who were chrown in beside the Americans, wno bore the brunt ot a heavy German assault east of Eindhoven to-oay, Helped to turn the tide. The Allies are beginning to win back lost ground. They, this morning, edged pack into Liesei and also regained ground north of the town. The only place where the Germans are holding linn south of the Maas is west oi Hertogenooscn, says neuter's correspondent with the British Second Army. Describing how the British troops tougnt their way back into Leisei, the British United Press correspondent outside Leisei to-night says: “The Dattle occurred in misty weather, wnn shells crunching down in ruinea nouses. An officer said: ‘By midnigfil last night, we had fought our way in and were holding one side oi the village street, the enemy holding the other. It was a question of wmkiing them out of each fortified house, anu the position was just like the old days in Normandy.”’ Newcomers to the Army One group of 50 prisoners, including two officers, is reported to have surrendered at tne first burst from the guns of a tank. The first prisoners drought in had been in the army only a few months. One was a Luttwarie mechanic who had been sent in “to gain battle experience.” Another was a bomber pilot trainee who had been dischargd when the Germans scrapped the bomber courses on the introduction of V-l. He said: “I was too short for a fighter pilot so I was sent to the front for battle experience too.” The Germans received a sever knock in this sector, according to the Second Army spokesman, and it has been necessary for certain relief oi their front-line troops to be carried out. Generally, it has been a quiet day along the whole front, but bridging preparations by the enemy across the canal in the Miejel area indicate that a further flare-up may not be long delayed. The present slowing down of enemy operations is probably due to regrouping after his heavy losses along the eastern section of the front. OVER 637,000 PRISONERS LONDON, Oct. 31. Reuter’s correspondent at Supreme Allied Headquarters states that the Allies since D-day have taken 637,544 prisoners, representing a greater German force than that is at present defending the western front. The 12th Army Group has taken a total of 292,363, of which the American First Army has taken 199,413 and the Third Army 9295. The Sixth Army Group has taken a total of 108,855, of which the Seventh Army has taken 50,916 and the First French Army 57,939. The American Ninth Army total for Brittany and the Loire operations is still 50,000.