DETERMINED ENEMY RESISTANCE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21603, 4 January 1945, Page 5

DETERMINED ENEMY RESISTANCE

NAZIS MASSING IN CENTRE OF BULGE SEVENTH ARMY HOLDS ENEMY PUSH (By Telegraph—Press Assn—Copyright.) (11 a.m.) LONDON, Jan. 3. American Third Army armour has smashed five and a-half miles north-east of Bastogne and entered the outskirts of Michamps. Reuter’s correspondent with the American Third Army says the enemy continued bitter resistance on a six-mile front .. south of Wiltz, about 10 miles from Bastogne. The Germans brought in more S.S. formations in an effort to hold the salient. The Germans are reported to be evacuating civilians from towns in the northern part of the salient, says Reuter s correspondent in Belgium. The Germans continue to mass strength in the centre of the salient. The bulk of the German movement is around St. Vith and the Laroche-Houffalize roads. The Germans are reported to have built a bridge over the Ourthe River in a week. Vehicular movement was seen south-west of Houffalise to the vicinity of the road junction south-west of Bastogne.

In the area of the German counter-attack near Volklingen, the Americans pushed the Germans back 1500 yards towards Shaffhausen, two miles west of Volklingen after clearing Werhftln Reuter’s correspondent at Supreme Allied Headquarters says that a German attempt to cross the Blies River between Habkirchen and Bliesbrucken succeeded in one place. The Americans cleared the Bois de Bliesbrucken, one mile south ol Bliesbrucken and German penetration, two miles at the most, remains under control. The Associated Press correspondent,, in a later message, reports that the enemy has been pushed back as far as Schaffhausen, virtually restoring the Allied position m this area.