NAZI TIDE EBBS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21601, 2 January 1945, Page 5

NAZI TIDE EBBS

ALLIES’ ADVANCES ' FRONT TRANSFORMED NO respite~for enemy RUGBY, Dec. 29. Further gains round the German Salient have been made by the Allies particularly in Luxemburg and round Bastogne. The Luxemburg town of Ettelbruck, three miles south-west of Diekirch on the River Sauer or Sure, has been occupied, together with ■ Eppeldorf, seven miles east of Ettel- ) bruck. The Allies are closing in on Echternach. Further west, they continue to advance north of the River Sure, across which, by Thursday, they had secured a bridgehead seven miles Ibroad. The positions round Bastogne have been further improved. The commander of the 101st Airborne Division, which held Bastogne until it was relieved, was BrigadierGeneral McAuliffe. His force consisted oTnearly 10,000 men. At the western apex of the salient, progress l is also reported. Humain, four miles south-west of Marche, has been taken and a village four miles west of Rochefort has been cleared. The enemy seem to be withdrawing in this sector, and our patrols have advanced to the Lesse River. t On Friday, for the seventh consecu- ■ tive day, American heavy bombers continued to attack transport targets „ in western Germany. More than 800 } Flying Fortresses and Liberators, ’ escorted by more than 700 Thunderbolts and Mustangs, went to bomb rail and road junctions and bridges and marshalling yards at Bingen, Aschafferiburg and Frankfurt. Most of the bombing was visual. Thus the situation in Belgium and Luxemburg is gradually being transformed. The impetus of the German assault had hardly slackened when / the Allies began to counter-attack on < both flanks. Now, in the south, the Germans have been driven back to the River Sure along most of its course from near Bastogne and from Diekirch to Echternach. The city of Luxemburg and the French frontier, Which seemed at one time in danger, are now well behind the advancing Allies. On the. northern flank it is the same. All‘the way from the German frontier, south of Monschau, past i Malmedy, Stavelot and Grandmenil to Hotton, Marche and Rochefort, the Allies have been steadily regaining ground and allowing the enemy no respite. Liege and the surrounding towns towards which the Germans at i first advanced rapidly are now at least, miles behind a strongly-held front. pPEven the apex of the salient has been | cut off and mopped up and the enemy driven back. The German tide, which seemed certain to reach the Meuse at many places, has receded eastwards.