MUCH OF POWER LOST

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 22, 23 December 1944, Page 5

MUCH OF POWER LOST

STRENGTH OF GERMAN DRIVE. ENEMY CLAIMS ST. VITH. (N.Z. Press Association.-Copyright.) (Rec. 10.45 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 22. Von Rundstedt's offensive has penetrated 40 miles at the point of its greatest depth but has lost a great deal of its power in the ;past 48 hours, says the Associated press - correspondent at 21st Army Headquarters. *■ < .-

Earlier Renter's .correspondent with-the 'First Array . reported tln.fr American, armour-• today, stemmed a German tank attack in great strength near St. Villi in one of the most-out-standing- military stands' of the war. The Berlin radio-claims that'German infantry and tank forces today captured St. Vith and took prisoner the Allied garrison there. The German News Agency said that General Eisenhower was increasingly withdrawing divisions from the neighbouring • sectors of the offensive front and hurling them against the flanks of the German western drive. Ike agency added that the . battle for Stavelot was particularly hard.

The British United Press correspondent with the First Army, in a message dated yesterday, said: This is the position of the battle fronts acceding to the latest reports: lour German columns are attacking the American First Army, front. One has been stopped in the vicinity oi Stavelot, another is attacking near St. Vith There are two columns in Luxembourg; the first was last reported advancing from Clervaux, 14 miles north-east of. Bastogne, and the second is just east of Wilts, 14 miles south-east of Bastogne. WEATHER STILL BAD.

The great Ardennes "oattle continues with undiminished fury under a blanket of low rain winch is preventing Allied fighter-bombers from searching out and blasting the roving German columns.

' Reuter's correspondent at 21st Armj Group Headquarters says von Kundstedtf still slamming panzers against the Allied defences, has made no subSntial gains although local German advances are reported on some The Associated Press correspondent at Shaef says two key points where the German advance is reported to be unchecked are sharp wedges driven west at points 18 and 4U miles south ZutL The first of these reached Habieeourt, cutting the Liege-Baa-SanSrlon road at Werbomout. lie K intted J 3 miles across Northsecond ]Utlc*i j-> , w;] . (inns:„v L »£ mb Sc t ,vf^ , {f.o 1 |; costly to the enemy ~x to off the entrance pomts an , those ins.de Such of 55 yesterday m the r St l a US^altael^nvo e .ving 10 S^tSin^ntry-n^es^ rel ? U i S fo ,a mi.es gh oilier the y city of point 20 miles i continue to Luxembourg. ine J\ the heart of mass panw»r power in we_ their slowly deepening e-pearhead...