LINKING UP

Grey River Argus, 23 April 1945, Page 5

LINKING UP

Americans and Russians IN DRESDEN SECTOR (Rec. 7.30) LONDON, April 22 The American Ninth Army has been warned to be ready for a junction with Marshal Koniev’s Russian spearheads near the River Elbe, says a British United Press correspondent. According to despatches reaching Moscow on Saturday from the central group of armies, American and Russian patrols are only about 25 miles apart in unspecified sectors south of Berlin. An Asociated Press correspondent at S.H.A.E.F. stated: An AmericanRussian link-up on the Elbe River some seventy miles due south of Berlin was imminent on Saturday A German communique announced: — Russian forces reached the Juterbog area. This narrows the distance oetween Russians and Americans to miles. It is clear that the forces are closing carefully to avoid over-run-ning each other’s positions. They could now link up almost at will. S.H.A.E.F. has lifted its black out on eastward advances beyond the Mulde River where Americans are 15 to 20 miles from the Elbe River. The German News Agency said. Allied forces to-day launched a strong attack in an effort to cross the Elbe in the Wittenberg area. Another report stated: The mam Russian forces in the Dresden secwi are directly assaulting Kamenz ami Bautzen, and other tank groups sur» ed around the cities in . wide outflanking movements. It is m ms region where the Red Army and the western Allies will link up.

GERMANS MAY FIGHT ON FOR MONTHS. (Rec. 7.10). LONDON, April 22 A “New York Times” correspondent at Allied Supreme Headquarters said: The magnitude of the task or reducing the enemy’s redoubt in south-eastern Bavaria, and the strength of German resistance in the North Sea and the Baltic ports have contributed to a general feeling in Paris that the war in the West may] continue into the summer before the Germans’ organised resistance is ended. Experts do not expect victory, without further extensive operations by both Eisenhower and Zhukov. GERMAN “COME-BACK” NEAR BRUNSWICK. (Rec. 9.5.) LONDON, April 21. Elements of the Von Clausewitz Division, who have been counter-at-tacking against the American Ninth Army, have infiltrated to within seven miles of Brunswick. The Germans are using armoured vehicles, with S.S. infantrymen riding on them BRITISH ADVANCE ON HAMBURG. (Rec. 6.30.) LONDON, April 21. A correspondent at Marshal Montgomery’s Headquarters says: Marshal Von Busch is now hurriedly preparing defences on the north east banks of the lower Elbe River, southeast of Hamburg, in the face ol an hourly acceleration by the British 2nd. Army of a clearance of the left bank of the river. S.S. formations from all areas of the Reich which are not at present directly threatened are being placed at vital points to attempt to prevent future river crossings. British guns hurled shells into the great German port of Hamburg on Saturday, as the Germans carried out demolitions, cabled a correspondent close to the city. From positions about two miles from the outskirts of the town, British infantry saw columns of smoke in the dock area,l where apparently the enemy was blowing up stores and dumps. On Saturday morning a terrific explosion was heard coming from the direction of the autobahn, where it crossed the river. It is thought that this bridge may have been blown up. It is known that the enemy had prepared all bridges for demolition. The enemy has established a strong perimeter around Harburg, which , his troops are holding in strength. These troops are supported by the greatest concentration of guns that the British troops have met since crossing the Rhine. These guns previously were used for defence against air. attacks. They now are being used in a ground role, and are covering all of the roads leading to Harburg with a heavy fire. British 25-pound-ers have been engaged in counterbattery work on these concentrations. Medium and heavy artillery has been shelling the dock area, chiefly with the object of preventing the enemy from carrying out extensive demolitions of port facilities. Correspondents at Marshal Montgomery’s Headquarters said: British 2nd. Army patrols, probing out towards the Elbe, west of Hamburg, crossed the Hamburg-Cuxhaven railway. They met a violent reaction from the German troops lining the Hamburg dock area. Th e German 15th Panzer Grenadiers late on Saturday made three determined counter-attacks against the British Guards’ armoured division astride the Bremen-Hamburg motor road. CLOSING ON HAMBURG AND BREMEN (Rec. 12.50) LONDON, April 22 British infantry and tanks are moving up and closing on Bremen and Hamburg, cleaning up and diminishing German rear guard forces west and south of the banks of the lower Elbe, report Agency correspondents at Montgomery’s Headquarters. British forces who entered a junction town, Rotenburg, yesterday, repelled Panzer Grenadiers, who counter-attacked along tne Bremen-Hamburg autobahn. Scots south-east of Bremen reached the villaye of Achim in a movement against Bremen. Guards tanks, developing a rush between Bremen and Hamburg, stand outside Bremen on a fifteen miles front. British, south-east of Hamburg control the Elbe for more than thirty miles but they , are doing a good deal of mopping up to clear such a strongpoint as Clechede ; Patrols which pushed on between Zeven and Buxtehude report very few Germans south-west of the Elbe. OPERATIONS OF CANADIANS AND POLES. (Rec. 6.30.) LONDON. April 21. Elements of a second paratroop corps have been brought in to strengthen the line between the rivers Ems and Weser. They are putting up opposition against General Crerar’s 4th. Armoured Division several miles from Oldenburg. A correspondent with the Canadian Ist. Army stated: Further west. Polish troops have crossed the Kustem Canal. They are driving north towards Emden, and fighting is now taking place in the town of F'apen-

burg. House-to-house fighting is m progress. Qn the exereme left to the Canadian front, patrols pushed nearly to Mersfoort. They found bridges blown up. They picked up a battalion commander. He was a. co ° n !y out with two members of his stall. They were on bicycles making a reconnaissance. They apparently had only a hazy idea where the iioih A Reuter correspondent with the Canadian First Army said: Canadian infantrymen have been mowing dov»n troops attacking Allied positions west of Oldenburg. The Canadians are weary from loading and firing and reloading and firing- ■ They can s ee hundreds of German dead i u °nt of them. Yet counter-attacks with Germans chatgmg acioss open Helds hf line abreast. They are young sailors and paratroops, lighting, sailois a dof the Second Gerunder con Corps, which has man Parachute cy AIR been ordered to kwh . £ from Cuxhaven Peninsula ana tne north German ports.