COLMAR COLLAPSE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21634, 10 February 1945, Page 3

COLMAR COLLAPSE

BROKEN RHINE’S WEST BANK

LAST BRIDGE BLOWN-UP (10.30 a.m.) LONDON, Feb 9. Reuter’s correspondent with the Sixth Army Group says all organised German resistance on the west bank of the Rhine in lower Alsace has ceased.

The roar of explosives with which the Germans yesterday destroyed the last fixed bridge across the Rhine at Neuenberne, 11 miles north-east of Mulhouse, heralded the collapse of the Colmar bridgehead, says Reuter’s correspondent with the Sixth Army Group. General de Tassigny’s forces had pushed southward down the west bank of the Rhine towards Rumersheim within three miles of the bridge when the retreating Germans destroyed it. The oniy part of the original pocket which the Germans are still defending is the area in the north of Hart Forest, north-east of Mulhouse.

Towns captured in the Canadian First Army’s offensive included Wyler, five miles south-east of Nijmegen on the road between Nijmegen and Kranenburg, Erlekom, three and a half miles east of Nijmegen, also Bruk, three miles south-west of Kranenburg. Opposition was keener on the southern flank in the Bruk area than on the northern flank.

Americans Beyond Schmidt

The Americans who captured Schmidt now hold some of the high ground northward and are pushing to other high ground north-eastward. Third Army infantry drove within 2\ miles of Prum and carried on reinforcing the footholds in Germany, says the Associated Press correspondent with the Third Army. One of several columns closing in against Prum advanced a mile eastward to take Obermehlen, which is 'l\ miles west .of the Prum road junction.

In southern Alsace the isolated remains of what was the western end of the Colmar pocket are entirely obliterated except for odd elements of enemy formations which are cut off and are trying to evade capture, says the Exchange and Telegraph’s correspondent at Supreme Allied Headquarters. The Germans, who have blown up the Brisach bridge, are now scrambling across the Rhine lower down the river in ferries and boats. Their bridgehead is being squeezed down hourly. General de Tassigny’s forces are advancing down the main road parallel with the Rhine from Neufbrisach, two miles from the river.

More German troops have been forced across the Rhine-Rhone canar on the western side of the crumbling bridgehead, Reuter’s correspondent with the Sixth Army Group says. Tanks and troops of the First French Army advanced nine miles south of Neufbrisach and reached Blodelsheim, about one mile west of the Rhine. They are now within four miles of the French troops thrusting northward from Mulhouse. These troops occupied Munchouse on the Rhine-Rhone canal nine miles north of Mulhouse.