Sweeping on at Breathless And Incredible Speed

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 208, 2 September 1944, Page 5

Sweeping on at Breathless And Incredible Speed

TERRIBLE DESTRUCTION OF TRANSPORT AND MUNITIONS Received Friday, 8.50 p.m. NEW YORK, Aug 31. “Our offensive is sweeping on at a breathless and incredible rate,” says the New York Times’ correspondent with the United States First Army. “Never before have troops advanced so swiftly. The enemy is so utterly defeated that our troops seldom need to dismount to deploy. “Vast quantities of munitions and German transport have been captured. Two airfields and supply dumps were taken intact near Fismes. Five Germed railway trains carrying personnel and every kind of equipment from collaborationist ladies who dare not remain in France to Tiger tanks on flat cars were destroyed as they tried to escape.” The correspondent came across the smoking wreckage of a train consisting of 23 cars and coaches, four <JT which were carrying Panther tanks and antiaircraft guns. In between were scores of officers with their women companions and barrels of Uquor and one carload of perfume. “It is extraordinary what the Germans are trying to take away. There has perhaps.never before been a battle like this. When tanks aboard a train were fighting our tanks on the road the fight lasted only a few minutes. The Germans had to flee without a fight from geographically excellent lines on which they were undoubtedly expected to make a stand. Defence in depth of which Hitler and Rommel boasted has proved little more than lines on the map much of which is already behind us.”