BATTLING AHEAD

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

BATTLING AHEAD

THIRD ARMY UNITS SLICING ENEMY BULGE NAZIS FIGHT GRIMLY (10 a.m.) LONDON, Jan. 3. The Germans are battling desperately to hold General Patton's thrusts east of Bastogne. using tanks with unprecedented recklessness. Of this German armour the Americans are. taking a heavy toll. Third Army tanks are near Michamps ahd also one and a half miles from Le Mengvilly, which is live miles northeast of Bastogne. Armour to the Westward has reached the edge of Maudes St. Etienne, three miles west of Bastogne. Other tanks are under half a mile south of Tilley, eight miles west of Bastogne. Infantry, advancing against stiff Opposition, gained a quarter of a mile in heavily-wooded hilly country four ahd a half miles east of St. Hubert. Infantry five miles south-east of Bastogne made limited gains despite heavy counter-attacks by reinforced Germans. The British United Press’ correspondent says that the Third Army made, a one-mile gain generally in the Bastogne fighting. Third Army .patrols entered St. Hubert, but were forced to withdraw. The German troops’ movement away from the southern flank constitutes the greatest •activity within the enemy salient in the last four days. Allies Making Headway Despite tenacious enemy attempts at resistance on the southern flank of the salient, writes a correspondent at Supreme Allied Headquarters, the Third Army is continuing to make headway, according to the latest reports. The enemy holding the high ground between Bonnerue and Tillet was attacked. Senonchamps has been cleared after a bitter struggle and armoured units are continuing to advance to north and north-east of the town. While some units reached the outskirts of Michamp, others advanced a mile to the Bois de Maistre, about six miles north-east of Bastogne. On the main road east of Bastogne our forces were heavily engaged with a group of enemy tanks, while further south other Allied troops advanced another mile to , enter Senonchamps. South and south-west of Wiltz, two Allied infantry divisions are engaged in fierce fighting in rough hilly country. One made slight gains against wellprepared positions, guarded by craftily-camouflaged tanks. ’ Two Towns Captured A communique from Supreme Allied Headquarters says' “The Allied forces in the Ardennes salient made ' some gains and repulsed a number of enemy counter-attacks. In the St. Hubert-Bastogne sector, on the southern flank, we made progress in the areas of Bonnerue and Hubermont, respectively, 10 and six miles west of Bastogne, against resistance varying from moderate to heavy. We have taken Gerimont and Mande. Fighting is in progress at Senonchamps, three miles west of Bastogne. Northeast of Bastogne, we reached a point on the railway three miles be- , yond the town. Mageret, three miles north-east of Bastogne, is in our hands. We are in the . immediate vicinity of Michamps, five miles north-east of Bastogne. Heavy lighting is going on in the areas of NefTe and Wardin, five miles south-east of Bastogne. We made some gains • east and south of Lutrebois and are encountering heavy shelling at Honville.