STRIKING BACK

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21605, 6 January 1945, Page 4

STRIKING BACK

SEVENTH ARMY NAZI PRESSURE EASES ENEMY'S 70-MILE THREAT LONDON, Jan. -1. American Seventh Army forces are hitting back against the Germans in the Bitche area and German pressure has been weakened by heavy losses, but there arc no indications that the enemy has committed his known reserves. General Patch’s withdrawal from the Wissembourg Gap has taken the Seventh Army forces back over the Lauter River. They have abandoned all the- area they held in Germany. The Seventh Army is now established at some points as far south as the Maginot forts. Reuter’s correspondent at Supreme Allied Headquarters says that the German attack on this front has slackened somewhat, but the enemy presents a sei'ious threat along a 70-mile front from Sarreguemines to the Rhine. The German News Agency says that General Patch, counter-attacking with six divisions from well-prepared positions around Roerbach, forced the Germans temporarily on the defensive. Probing Allied Front

Considerable German forces in the Saar Valley continue to harass, the Americans by probing, states Reuters correspondent at Supreme Allied. Headquarters. The Americans have withdrawn from a small section of Bitche, which they held, to avoid being cut off by the Germans’ southward penetration. The enemy penetrations south-east of Sarreguemines in the vicinity of Grosreclerchingen have been stopped, at least temporarily. The position of the German bridgehead over the Blies River is unchanged. The Germans here suffered very heavy casualties, some formations losing up to 50 per cent. They, however, were apparently well backed by reinforcements, by artillery and by armour. Artillery Duel Near Switzerland

A violent artillery duel is in progress early to-day north of Basle, where the Germans have brought their heaviest guns into action against Mtilhouse, states the Associated Press correspondent at Basle. The battle has extended from the Swiss frontier towards Mulhouse and has increased in intensity. German troops at midnight last night attempted to cross the Rhine into France not far from the Swiss frontier, tout were thrown toack by fierce fire from the kronen guns at Huningen, irom which the Germans retreated a month ago. “Our forces in the Saar Valley cleared an area two and a-half miles north-west of Volklingen,” states a communique from Supreme Allied Headquarters. "Strong resistance met our efforts to force back the enemy to the Saar River in the Ludweiler area. East of Sarreguemines, a small force of the enemy, after several attempts, crossed the Biles River just south of Habkirchen, but our artillery prevented him from making further gains. The enemy penetrated n> Grosrederchingen. in the wooded area south-east and south of Bitche, enemy pressure lessened somewhat. Three small-scale attacks were repulsed. Philippsburg was shelied by the enemy after his attack against tiretown. failed. “In the Alsace plain, north of Cotmar, our troops repulsed an enemy attack and gained some ground in a counter-attack. Enemy attempts to infiltrate in the Lake Noir region of the Vosges were turned back.”