Allies Reach Marne South of Paris

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 204, 29 August 1944, Page 5

Allies Reach Marne South of Paris

Mounting Toll of Prisoners on All Fronts

United Press Assn. —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. Received Tuesday, 1 a.m. LONDON, August 28. Reuter’* correspondent reports that the Canadians to-day continued to pour across the Seine in the Elbeuf-Pont de Larche area. German resistance in the loop towards Rouen prevented the Canadians getting nearer than five miles to Rouen. A large number of Germans who appeared to have been trapped was able to cross the river as the result of skilful rearguard actions. Brest is now closely invested, states a Shaef report. The Americans advanced up to a thousand yards against strong resistance, closing in on the northern fringes. The Americans in Northern France since D Day have captured 65,000 prisoners and killed 16,000. The British Second Army has taken 32,000 prisoners and the Seventh Army in Southern France has taken over 30,000 prisoners. “The Allied force which crossed the Seine south of Paris is continuing its eastward drive between the Marne and the Seine,” reports to-night’s Shaef communique. “Our elements at the southern end of this sector advanced beyond Troyes and other units are in the immediate vicinity of Rommilly-sur-Seine. We captured Nogent-sur-Seine. Our troops are approaching Provins and to the northwest have advanced to the vicinity of Lagny on the Marne. We cleared the enemy from Bourdenay and St. Lupien south of Nogent-sur-Seine. “The situation in the Paris area is now generally quiet although resistance continued yesterday in Champigny. We cleared the Germans from the Bois de Boulogne, but minor isolated groups have been operating in the Bois de Meudon on the southwestern outskirts of the city. The elimination of enemy forces between Paris and Mantes-Gassieourt has been proceeding mainly in the vicinity of Villenne-sur-Seine (two miles northwest, of Poissy). “The Allied bridgeheads over the Seine at Mantes-Gassieourt, Vernon and east of Elbeuf have been strengthened and enlarged. Our troops pushed eastward from Pont Audemer in the face of stubborn enemy resistance and the road from Pont Audemer to Bourgachard is now in our hands. The clearing of the Foret de Lalond is almost complete. Our fighting near Brest made gains.”

• ‘Hundreds of Allied planes tnrougfioat the past 24 hours attacked enemy troops, vehicles and barges concentrating on the west bank of the Seine at Rouen. Waves of medium bombers dropped thousands of fragmentation and high explosive bombs in the second consecutive day’s operations against these targets despite intense ackack Are.

“Strong formations of fighters and fighter- bombers also delivered attacks lasting several hours. The results were excellent. Other formations of light and medium bombers hit two fuel dumps at Bucy les Pierrcpcnt and in the Foret du Samoussy, northwest of Rheims, also radio installations near Boulogne. Other fighters bombed ami strafed over a wide territory from the mouth of the Seine to Luxemburg, Ger-

many and into Denmark, destroying and damaging locomotives, military vehicles and hundreds of railway cars.

“Escorted heavy bombers without loss hit shipping targets at Brest. At least 16 enemy planes were destroyed in the air and 14 on the ground. Seventeen of ours are missing.”

Lancasters and Halifaxes in daylight on Sunday evening attacked a large concrete structure at Mimoyecques in the Pas de Calais area, which is believed to be connected with the enemy’s threatened use of long-range rockets. Havocs and Marauders without loss attacked two fuel dumps northwest of Bheims and a radio installation at Boulogne. A U.S.A.A.F. communique states that three bombers and eleven fighters are missing from the attack on Northwest Germany. Preliminary figures show that the Thunderbolts which attacked Franco(rcrman border targets destroyed 12 planes, 116 locomotives and 443 railway cars.

The destruction of a German light cruiser and heavy damage to a destroyer and 14 enemy merchant ships in Brest harbour on Friday by Thunderbolts is announced. Sixteen Thunderbolts of the Nineteenth Tactical Air Command participated in the attack. No Thunderbolts were lost.

On Sunday afternoon Lancasters of R.A.F. Bomber Command attacked ship- 1 ping in Brest. Visibility was good and the bombing effective. The same afternoon a strong force of British bombers was for the first time over Germany in daylight with fighter protection the whole way. This protection was given by many squadrons of Spitfires when Halifaxes attacked the synthetic oil I plant at Homberg-Meerbeck in the Ruhr. The bomber crews saw no fighters but flak was fairly intense around the target. All the crews state that the attack seemed well concentrated.