ARNHEM BATTLE

Grey River Argus, 26 September 1944, Page 5

ARNHEM BATTLE

STILL FIERCE SOME REINFORCEMENTS Reach the Area (Rec. 12.25> LONDON, Sept. 25 Monday’s communique from S.H.A.E.F. says:— Fierce fighting continues in the Arnhem area, where we succeeded in passing some reinforcements to the north bank of tne river under the cover of darkness. Allied troops east of Nijmegen entered German territory in the neighbourhood of the Reichswald forrest The area north of Vechel. where enemy pressure was strong has been cleared, after the repulse of a German counter-attack from the village of Erp, three miles east of Vechel. Eeast of Eindhoven, our bridgehead over the Bois le Due Canal has been extended to th e neighbourhood of Deirnes. Further west we have pushed retreating enemy forces, from the Escaut Canal to the general line of. the Antwerp-Turnhout Canal. NOT RELIEVED YET FORCES AT ARNHEM (Rec. 7.30) LONDON', Sept. 25. Reuter’s correspondent with the British Second Army in a despatch dated mid-day on Sunday says: Although receiving much needed supplies, the airborne forces at Arnhem have not yet been relieved. The Germans are becoming stronger along the north bank of the Neder River, where they apparently intend making a stand, and unless there is a major assault crossing soon, the position of the airborne forces may deteriorate.

Relief Armies

FOR ENCIRCLED AIRBORNE FORCES ON THE NEDER RHINE (Rec. 9.50) LONDON, Sept. 25 A British United Press correspondent described a race by the British Second Army through Nijmegen io the Neder Rhine to succour the airborne forces encircled at Arnhem. The relieving column travelled in ducks. The road was dangerous owing to a threat from roving bands of German infantry and tanks. Thirty German tanks in one place cut off the line of advance shortly after the iduhk-borne infantry passed through. A long line of ducks readied the bank of the Rhine at Nijmegen. They pushed across the river without a rest. One section pushed along the main road to Arnhem on foot. Dramatic messages came in every hour from the airborne troops, sucn as: “Germans again attacking.” “Situation worsening.” “Supplies urgently needed.” Knowing every minute was precious the infantry struggled on under heavy fire from German 88 millimetre guns that were scattered among dykes. British forces fought an all out battle north of Nijmegen. There they linked up with Polisn paratroops. But the enemy position thereafter weakened, and it became a triumphant march to the river. Some parts of the river bank were ( too steep for the ducks but the Poles produced home-made rafts, witn which they then reinforced the hardpressed British airborne forces. The ducks operated across the river in tne first light of the morning on Sunday. A staff officer said: “The whole thing was brilliant in conception and execution, especially in view of the troops’ long tireless race. British infantry on Sunday night and Monday morning ferried food and other supplies to the airborne forces across the Neder Rhine. The relief came just in time, because the airborne forces 1 were holding on by sheer courage. There are airborne troops who fighting from house to house against superior German forces north of tne bridge. They are still out though their fate causes anxiety.” Another report stated: Allied patrols are making contact with airborne troops at night across the river. Enemy resistance appears to be decreasing between the Waal and the Neder Rhine. The enemy threat to the axial road between Grave and Eindhoven is officially considered to have ended. Canadians between the axial road and Antwerp made a 10-miles advance on a 30 miles front against slight opposition. This suggests the Germans have decided on another major withdrawal. What is happening here is governed by the extent to which contact can be maintained with the airborne troops across the river, whose supply of food and ammunition is likely to be slender. The ability of British soldiers to hang on in the most difficult positions again madeall the difference in the two or three critical days when the operation might not have been successful. Athrust of two to three miles southwest of Uden, where Germans were previously massing to cut the corridor has followed up the clearing of the road. The British extended the bridgehead across Duerne, after a two miles advance. . . British forces advanced a mile into Germany and captured Beem, on the main road to the Rhineland. On the Canadian sector the enemy has withdrawn from the western end of the Escaut Canal towards Turnhout Canal. '

American Sectors SLIGHT GAINS (Rec. 12.30) ’LONDON, Sept. 25 Monday’s S.H.A.E.F. communique says:—Our troops in the Geilenhipchen area have met with a concentrated medium artillery fire, which, was countered. Patrol activity continues in this sector.

On e of our units in the Roetgen area, south of Aachen, reduced a German strongpoint, and slight gains, were made against stubborn enemyi resistance.

We repulsed a German counterattack east of Aachen. American armour, artillery, and planes, squelched a German counterattack north-east of Chateau Salins. The attack began at 5.30 a.m, and it was completely beaten off by 10.30' a.m., due to tfye teamwork ’ of the American big guns. The enemy used considerably fewer tanks titan in the previous engagements and these were unable to penetrate the defences. Allied planes heavily hit the German transport be-r hind the Moselle and cut many railways, covering a 50 miles area. A Reuter correspondent with the 3rd Army says 15 German ambulances filled with wounded drove into the American lines east of Nancy and gave themselves up. TONK BATTLE TANK BATTLE americanFsummon BOMBERS (Rec. 10.0> LONDON S|i>t. 25, Two squadrons of the U.S. Nine teenth Tactical Command Thunderbolts intervened in the armoured battle near Nancy on S'Jnday moming, at the urgent request of the Am erican Third Army Commander, although the weather was completely

non-operational.. The planes took off from a rain-sodden airfield with a 500 feet ceiling. One squadron commander said: —“We flew stragint throught the weather to the biggest tank battle I ever saw. The main groups of Germans and Americans were shelling each other and the air was filled with cub spotting planes, which scattered like birds when we came in.” The Thunderbolts knock 7 ed out two or three tanks in the field and then raked the woods in which the remainder of the German armour was deployed. An American airborne unit, beating bff constant German armoured attacks, ia holding open a narrow cor-, ridor along which General Dempsey's spearhead is advancing to Arnhem. On Monday morning they smashed an attack on a strong German force less than a mile above the corridor as other units further north were pecting a panzer attack against General Dempsev’s highway. The Americans’ offensive opened under a concenrated artillery barrage from airborne guns and British tanks. They rained hundreds of shells against German positions ror three minutes before zero hour, then paratroopers rushed the Germans from two directions through heavy ground naze. The Nazis answered with fire from 88’s and 75’s but the airborne troops shoved on. completely disorganising the. enemy. The Germans are believed to have moved to this area under cover of clouds. They were within range of the vital Allied life-line when the airborne troops attacked and sent them back.

SPEEDY U.S. TANK DESTROYER

(Rec. 7.30) WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 The War Department’s automotive expert, Captain C. R. Adkins, said: said: The new American tank destroyer, MLS, is the hottest thing in to-day’s warfare. It is the streamlined speed demon that put this streak of lightning in our drive across France into Germany. One ML 8 unit in France covered 65 miles in three and a half hours and travelled 165 miles in a day and a half, part of it under black-out conditions. Th e ML B’s mechanical system permits of the complete installation of a new engine in ninety minutes. Ten bogey wheels operate separately. Thus one broken wheel will not incapacitate the vehicle. Dual controls permit of a change of drivers on an instant s notice without changing positions.

Rocket Ships in Action

CORRESPONDENT’S DESCRIPTION

(Re" 55) LONDON, Sept. 25. A “Daily Telegraph” correspondent gives the ‘first detailed, description of the rocket ship in action. He says: These rocket ships are one of Britain’s secret weapons. They made i their debut in Sicily. . The correspondent saw rocket ships during the invasion of I'Qormandy operating against the village of Franceville, which was then crammed with Germans. He says: It was the most concentrated bombardment in the history of warfare. Rocket ships are known in the navy as 1 pine-racks, from their curious outline. They have been the subject of awed discussion throughout the fleet, and incredible stories have been circulated about their devastating effect. These .stories are not exaggerated. The shoot was timed to Last for four minutes. Each craft sent up a handful of ranging shots. They soared up with a tremendous swish and were visible for several seconds. Then smoke plumes on the waters edge showed the accuracy of the aim. The shoot then began in earnest. The nearest rocket ship suddenly disappeared as a monstrous volcano of fire swept her. decks. A salvo of rockets from this eruption leapt into the air and flew' to the shore. The colossal racket of the discharge liad hardly subsided when the craft'again erupted. Her sister ships joined in. It was a terrifying sieht. ' Battleships working big guns are nothing like it. Ashore it seemed that all the artillery in the world had suddenly opened up a ® Franceville. The entire village was absolutely blanketed by osions s ’ In the matter of seconds there was just one carpet of shell bursts, fire ‘and smoke along a frontage of.about a mile and to a depth of half a mile. There could hardly have been a house, let alone a German alive, in Franceville after a second wave of rocket ships came in and added its deadly quota..

NEW BELGIAN ARMY (Rec. 10.0) LONDON, Sept 25 The Brussels radio announced that recruiting for the new Belgian Army would begin to-day and that prei e - ence would be given to those are active in the resistance mov ment. FRENCH ARMY. LONDON, Sept. 24. An official decree has been ph* 3 * lished in Paris incorporating ■nFrench Forces of the Interior into tne French Army, under the sole authority of the War Minister. The F.lwf. will be reorganised and regrouped into regular battalions, but will retain its own identity. n , General Koenig, Commander ot the French Forces of the Interior and the Governor of Paris, flew to England over the week-end to confer the Croix de Guerre on the aircrews of R.A.F. squadrons who played a conspicuous part in dropping supplies to the Resistance Movement in France. “On behalf of my Government,” declared General Koenig, “I bring you thanks for the gallantry you have shown in bringing help to the F.F.I. The French people will never forget that there were . men who were not afraid to take a risk in bringing them help in lheir struggle.”

GERMANS’ INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFICERS. (Rec. 12.55). LONDON, Sept. 25.. A captured German document issed to officers instructs them of the paramount importance of saving the Officers’ Corps for the reconstruction of the Fatherland. Divisional commanders, however, will nominate junior officers to die heroes deaths m order to maintain the tioops morale, says the document. Special attention must be paid to all secret organisations among the troops, such as the so-called soldiers’ groups, soldiers committees and soldiers’ councils, as secret groups of this kind arise as soon as a war seems to be approaching an unsuccessful conclusion, the document adds: The High Command will henceforth often no longer be able to meet demands, however urgent, for air, armour, and artillery support. FRENCH COLLABORATORS. LONDON, September 25. Ten thousand alleged collaborators with Germans are now in internment camps in Paris. The number in the camps is growing daily. Some newspapers are clamouring for their immediate trial. The Fresne Prison is being used to imprison collaborators, as well as the Drancy and La Saute Prisons.