NAZIS OVER RHINE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21606, 8 January 1945, Page 3

NAZIS OVER RHINE

ARMOUR IN ACTION

GAINS OF 12 MILES

SEVENTH ARMY STRUGGLE (10 a.m.) LONDON, Jan. 7.

The 800 Germans who crossed the Rhine in barges and formed a bridgehead have been reinforced and tanks have been ferried across the river, according fo (he lalest information received Ibis afternoon, writes a correspondent, at Supreme Allied Headquarters on Sunday. Gambsheim is stil! in their possession, and they arc also reported to be slill in Ollendorf, which was earlier stated to have been cleared.

This morning an enemy force, supported by five tanks, attacked our troops at Rohrweiler, and other forces attacked some two miles north-west near Druscnhcim. The tanks had apuarently been brought across the Rhine last night and infantry reinforcements have crossed at various intervals. Their bridgehead now extends about five miles and the nearest point to Strasbourg if; about 10 miles. Reports of armour being used also come from the sector north-east of Sclestat, where enemy infantry, supported by la tanks,, were brought across the river during the night and attacked the town of Neunkirck for the second time and forced our Iroops to retreat. The third area where enemy armour appeared is in Palin, south of Wisscmbourg. Here, late yesterday and early to-day, three counter-attacks were made against us. the strongest being by a battalion of infantry, with nine tanks as support. Hid fo Force Passes

The Germans north-westwards are intensifying their efforts to break through the mountain passes southeast of Bitche to the Alsatian plains. Their casualties are mounting steadily under American artillery and mortar fire.

An American officer said the Germans are launching attack after attack, screaming and yelling like Japanese, German forces attacking on the Seventh Army front, east; of Bitche. cut the Sarrcguemines-Hagcnau road near Wingcn.

The Germans, in reaching the vicinity of Wingcn, have advanced 12 miles since the start of 1 the offensive. Reuter’s correspondent at Supreme Allied Headquarters points out that by denying the Allies the use of tiv Sarreguemines-llagenau road, the Germans could force a withdrawal of the Allied triangle pointing towards Karlsruhe.

The Americans surrounded Wingcn. in which 500 Germans are trapped. Seventh Army forces attacked Wingcn, on the main highway from Sarreguemines to Hagonau, and succeeded in surrounding the town. Phillipbourg has once more been cleared of the enemy. No changes are reported in the stretch of territory between Bitche and the banks of the Rhino. Fighting is still in progress between our troops and the battalion of Germans who crossed the Rhine north of Strasburg, and the latest information is that we have launched a counter-attack. North-west of Mulhou.se, a strong enemy raid was repulsed on Friday evening, while patrols are still active west and north-west of Colmar. Reuter’s correspondent at Supreme Allied Headquarters said the Germans are suffering heavy casualties on the Saar front. Even the wounded are fighting from foxholes. One prisoner was an inspector in a Messcrschmitl factory a few weeks ago.

The Paris .radio said that French Iroops have crossed the Rhine south of Mulhouse.