EIGHT MILES

Grey River Argus, 1 March 1945, Page 5

EIGHT MILES

FROM THE RHINE FOUR ALLIED ARMIES Press Disorderly Enemy DUSSELDORF IN RANGE HOST OF PLACES OCCUPIED. [Aust. & N.Z. Press. Association.! (Rec. 1.20).. LONDON, Feb. 28. Press correspondents at the headquarters of Marshal Montgomery report that hundreds of Allied tanks are sweeping forward on the northern Rhineland front, and that “big news” is being written behind the curtain of a “security blackout”. . A Reuter correspondent Said chat General Eisenhower’s first aim, which is the destruction of every German west of the Rhine, is being violently worked out. Reuter’s correspondent added: Today (Wednesday) four Allied armies— Generals C'rearar’s, Simpson’s, Hodges and Patton’s are engaged in a full offensive. The U.S. Ninth Army, _ by reaching Morkan, on the Erft River, are within eight miles of Cologne. Other news agency messages stated that Ninth Army forces were within shelling range of the city of Dusseldorf. They said there were definite signs of a break-up in the enemy s defence as he endeavours to pull back his troops. Although the enemy is fighting strongly at some points, he appears to be pulling back in utter confusion. It is reported that American forces ar e under 15 miles from Dusseldorf after by-passing Munchengla'dbach, and that artillery is moving up to points within range of the Neuss and .Dusseldorf bridges over the Rhine. A Daily Express correspondent said: “Battle has been joined along the Efrt River, whose defences are being stormed by tank columns from the First and Ninth American Armies.” Allied Official Review (Rec. 1.20.) LONDON, Feb. 28. Wednesday’s communique from Allied Supreme Headquarters says: We have captured Udem and advanced to the western edge of Hochwald Forest. There we have met heavy opposition. East of the Roer River, we have made good progress. We cleared Erkelenz and have advanced to Rheindahlen. We have occupied Borschemich, six and a-half nines east of Erkelenz. We entered konigshoven, on the left bank of the Erft River. Our armoured units, after a sixmile advance, have entered Sindorf, ten miles west of Cologne. Our armoured and infantry elements have cleared Berrendorf, Wullenrath and Zoth, four miles west-north-west of Sindorf. We have occupied Heppendorf, two and a-half miles west of Sindorf. Fighting continues in Elsdorf, and in Giesendorf, Angelsdorf and Grouven, all of which are within a radius of one and a-half miles of Elsdorf. Our forces have captured Blatzheih and Berghausen, one mile north of Blatzheim. We have in the course of a two-mile push, captured Neiderbolheim, two miles south of Blatzheim., „ We have crossed the Nefferl River north of the town. We have captured Eschweiler and Frauwullesheim, three miles east-south-east of Duren, also Jakobwullesheim, four and a-half miles southeast of Duren. After a four thousand yard gain we are fighting in Vettweiss, seven miles south-east of Duren. We have cleared Nideggen, eight miles south of Duren. We have crossed the Prether kiver, running south-west of Scheleden. Our armoured elements have captured Mattenheim, and have cleared Fleissem, three and four miles respectively north of Bitburg. We also captured Matzen, one mile northeast of Bitburg. Our infantry and armoured elements have entered Bitburg and cut the Bitburg-Trier road in three places south of the town. Our forces have cleaned Oberstedem, Essingen and Meckel, which are three, four and. a-half and six miles respectively south of Bitburg. They have entered Gilzem, seven and ahalf miles south of Bitburg. . We have cleared Niederweis and Kaschenbach, both eight miles south and southc-east of Bitburg. We have entered Irrel, three miles north-east of Echternach. We have entered Wasserbillig and have extended our crossing to the Saar River to a depth of six miles. We have cleared Beuring. Our armoured elements have captured Wiederzerf, six and a-hali miles to the east of Saarburg. Enemy artillery and mortar lire have increasingly harassed our uni is in’Forbach. Activity has slackened farther east of Forbach along the Rhine. . The Allied forces in the west oi Monda, captured well over eight thousand prisoners.

NINTH ARMY DEBOUCHES ON COLOGNE PLAIN. ENEMY COMMANDER LEFT ' GUESSING. LONDON, February 27. An Associated Press correspondent stated: On Tuesday the American First Army made swift advances approaching the Erft River defences less than eight miles from Cologne. This is the main defence belt between the Allies and the Rhine. First Army artillery fired more than 20 shells into Cologne on Monday night. General Simpson’s tanks ran wild in fighting south-west of Munchenbladbach. The Roer bridgehead was increased to 43 miles from the vicinity of Erkelenz to the south of Duren. An attack began against Anglesdorf and Esch respectively eight and eight and a-half miles east of Julich on the Cologne" Road. The weather was poor. The Roer bridgehead is nine miles deep. It is deepest on the left. A mile gained on the road from Duren brought the Americans within 11 miles of Cologne outskirts, and 14 miles of Rhine bridges. In the American centre a group of villages eight miles north-east of Julich is reported as taken. The right flank pushed on to a point seven miles south-east of Duren, and four north-west of Zuelpich. The United States Third Army made gains on a 30 mile front. Its infantry advanced two miles and reached an area one mile south-west of Bitburg. Elements of an armoured division reached high ground over looking the Kyll River 1 of Bitburg. There Americans in a day took a town, cleared eight towns and entered another. The gains extend along a front from six miles east of Saarburg to two miles north of Bitbuig. Wasserbillig, at the junction of the Sauer and Moselle c ?' ,as among the towns entered. Two Saar bridgeheads around Saarburg are firmly linked. There is now a single bridgehead with a maximum penetration of seven and a, half miles. Third Army Forces attacking eight miles north-west of Prum, gamed up 10 Berlin' radio stated: The Roer

battle is mounting to a climax. Powerful enemy armoured forces despite our inundations have been able to cross the Roer Plain. Violent bombing of our front lines, hinterland and communications played its part in supporting the enemy’s fanlike drives along the great highways The enemy has assembled his most powerful armoured force in the centre of Ills twenty-five miles front. The enemy’s bridgeheads across the Roer has been mergd and deepened. Tank battles have raged at Gran terath, two miles south of Erkelenz, and also north of Julich and on the southern edge of Hambach Forest. (Rec. 9.15.) LONDON, Feb. 28. A “Daily Mail” correspondent at General Montgomery’s Headquarters stated: There is a black-out on the activities of the Ninth Army. It has drawn silence over every move of the Ninth Army since about mid-day on Tuesday. We have not been allowed to say how far General Simpson’s tanks have torn into the Cologne plain after that time. All that can be said is that they are going at top speed over a large area. German Commander? have lost track of the battle. That is, they lost touch with local German Commanders. Thev do not know what is going on, or where American spearheads reached, and we are not going to tell them. A "Daily Telegraph” correspondent at Supreme Headquarters stated: After every previous similar blackout, there has been sensational news, and the atmosphere is electric with anticipation.

CANADIANS NEARING U.S. 9th. ARMY. (Rec. 9.30.) LONDON, Feb. 28. An Exchange Telegraph Agency correspondent at Allied Headquarters stated: Southward advances by Canadian forces have brought them to within thirty miles of the Nintty Army. HAND PUMPED PETROL FOR 100 MILES. [R.NZ.A.F. Official News Service.] (Rec. 10.30). LONDON, Feb. 28. Using a hand petrol pump from Osnabruck to Reichswald Forest, a distance of nearly a hundred miles, Flight-Lieutenant Gordon John Hussey, of Wanganui, flew his Typhoon to Goch, making a forced landing under shell fire. This occurred during a recent operation with the Second Tactical Air Force. Petrol trouble caused his engine to fail, and he coaxed it along with a hand primer. The aircraft} was hit by anti-aircraft fire as it crossed the Rhine. “We had just attacked two trains when my. engine started to run badly,” he said yesterday. “I changed tanks and pumped petrol all the way from Osnabruck to the Rhine, where a shell exploded just under me. Then the engine finished completely south of Reichswald and I had to force land.” After the landing Hussey was'found by, Scottish soldiers and returned to his station. GERMAN BOYS’ GANGS. NUISANCE IN OCCUPIED AREAS. (Rec. 9.30). LONDON, Feb. 28. Correspondents in Allied occupied parts of Germany say boys in their teens, former members of the Hitler Youth organisation, have already formed “nuisance gangs”. In files of Allies military government staffs their deeds are classed as “juvenile delinquency”. They are thieving, and defacing notices, and drilling holes in petrol tanks of Allied motor vehicles. At a place near Aachen, 20 miles behind the Allied battle line, an explosion caused by boys sent flames 50 feet into the air. Allied officials say the escapades of boys have frightened German civilians, but have done little damage.