STARTS IN NORMANDY

Grey River Argus, 3 July 1944, Page 5

STARTS IN NORMANDY

PENINSULA CLEARED Enemy Increases Local ’ Attacks Aus & N.Z. Press Assn.] '(Rec. 55 ) LONDON, July 1. •' An Allied correspondent in Normandy states: In the Cherbourg area our troops continued to advance m the area cf Cap de la Hague, and reached Online nville la Petite. Bretteville has been reported in our hands, ana enem} resistance has weakened m this aiea. _ Saturday night’s S.H.A.E.F. communique stated: In the Cherbourg Peninsula, the small area of enemy resistance at Cap de la Hague has been further reduced. A Reuter correspondent with United States forces in Normandy says: It is officially reported that Americans sb far have buried 4,212 dead Germans, and have taken prisoner forty-two thousand Germans. Cherbourg Peninsula 'ENEMY RESISTANCE REDUCED. MORE GERMANS SURRENDER. (Rec. 11.5) LONDON, July 2. A Reuter correspondent with the American troops says: German forces cornered in Cap de la Hague area surrendered on Saturday night. American patrols are at present seeking out stragglers in wooded country. Two thousand prisoners and several large guns were captured. . . For the first time admitting that Cherbourg Harbour is in Allied hands the German News Agency said that German garrisons at strongpoints m the harbour were unable to attack Allied minesweepers and small vessels when they entered because they completely lacked ammunition. PENINSULA CLEARED LAST RESISTANCE ENDED AT CAPE. (Rec. 12.6) LONDON, July 2. The final clearing of Cherbourg Peninsula is recorded. It is regarded at S.H.A.E.F. as extremely good news. Troops who have been held down by the enemy’s holding action will now be released for other operations A S.H.A.E.F. communique says:— Liberation of Cherbourg Pemnsula is now complete. The last enemy resistance on Cap de la Hague area ceased early on Saturday morning. HAVRE SHELLED. (Rec. 11.10) LONDON, July 2. Allied battleships have both shelled the town and the harbour of Le Havre. BELGIAN FRONTIER. CLOSED BY GERMANS. (Rec. 1.25.) LONDON, July 2. The independent Belgian News Agency says: Germans announced the closing of the Belgo-German frontier. NEXT PHASE. GENERAL DEMPSEY ON SITUATION.

(Rec. 11.10) LONDON, July 2. General Dempsey, at a press conference, was asked to explain why

there had been a sudden slow down in the Allied drive on the River Orne. General Dempsev said: Phase One is complete. We are now ready for phase Two. But lam not going to disclose my intention, except to say that one always plans . sufficiently ahead for all eventualities. General Demosey added: “British forces are now facing the biggest and most concentrated force of German armour there has been since the outbreak of the war.