Germans Admit Increased Resistance

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 303, 22 December 1944, Page 5

Germans Admit Increased Resistance

EARLIER REPORTS OF FIGHTING LONDON, Dec. 20. The German News Agency’s military commentator (Sertorius) said on Wednesday night that Allied resistance was increasing hut was still piecemeal and uncoordinated. “We are justified in speaking of continued favourable progress. The German attack hasn’t reached its climax. More heavy fighting is expected and the first phase of the offensive will be followed Try other momentous operations. ’ ’ The Americans repulsed two German counterattacks in the woods northeast of Saareguemines on Wednesday, says Reuter’s correspondent with the American Third Army. The counterattacks are continuing. Air reconnaissance has shown considerable enemy movement behind the front opposite the Third Army. The German marshalling yards are choked with material and the roads are crowded with armour and supply lorries. The staff officer added: “But no great hole has been opened and our front-line troops are still holding out although some have been badly hit.” Reuter’s correspondent says there are no road blocks in this part of the country and as a consequence Rundstedt’s tanks are able to appear here, there and everywhere. This leads to sudden small actions occurring in most unexpected places. A large number of American wounded are receiving only local attention and ambulance services are becoming more and more difficult. The Americans, fighting defensively for the first time, seem to have reached an actual state of viciousness. They are no longer fighting a scientific warfare. They are fighting the type of battle where caution is thrown to the winds. Each man suddenly felt that he personally must strike back with everything he has got in order to halt the colossus in his path. A large number of Americans are fighting in small imits in small towns along the Belgian-German border. They have fairly adequate supplies of everything, but food and foggy weather are depriving them of aid from the air.

Germans wearing civilian clothing, it is reported, are being dropped by parachute. English-speaking Germans are also reported as manning Sherman tanks and calling to Americans to approach. after which they open fire. General Hodges is fighting hard to establish fronts on the northern and southern ends of the 25-mile gap tom by Pvundstedt’s panzers, says the Daily Mail’s correspondent with the First Army. But there is still no solid block across the gaping hole through which German armour is probing into Belgium. Pitched battles between tanks are developing at the westernmost points of the German armoured penetrations. German Wildcat armoured columns, which are rimning loose over a wide area to a considerable depth from the German border, are evidently intended to create confusion and cut off American units in preparation for a heavier assault. The Germans have not yet- thrown in the full weight of their formidable tank forces, but the bulk of the enemy troops have now moved into line. Reuter’s correspondent at Shaef reports that for the first time since D-Day Shaef cancelled the briefing of war correspondents “because there was no news.” AIR FORCES STILL GROUNDED A pea soup fog blankets large areas of the battle zone and the rear areas. The Allied air forces were grounded nearly all day. The fury of the German attack is still mounting, says the British United Press correspondent with the American First Army in an earlier message. The Germans are throwing in fierce attacks against the Americans at Butgenbach and Stavelot. The Americans are now facing the finest German troops in the west. Reuter’s correspondent says that, although Monschau has been recaptured, certain American units are isolated in Monschau Forest, but they are still fighting. The Americans during fierce fighting along the whole front on Wednesday took prisoner more than 2000 Germans. vengeance against anyone who has helped the Americans. This is not deterring members of the Belgian Resistance Movement. Many of these hardfighting men are helping to round up German paratroops and guarding vital points. There is no doubt that the Belgians and Luxemburgers are again going to suffer greatly before the battle is concluded.