American Assault On Siegfried Line

Northern Advocate, 3 October 1944, Page 3

American Assault On Siegfried Line

Allied Troops Pour Through Gaps Torn By Bomb And Shell

(Received 12.30 p.m.) LONDON, October 2. THE AMERICAN IST ARMY HAS LAUNCHED A FULL--1 SCALE ATTACK AGAINST THE SIEGFRIED LINE IN THE AACHEN AREA. EARLY REPORTS STATE THAT BOMBING AND SHELLING HAVE TORN A HUGE GAP IN THE GERMAN DEFENCES AND ALLIED TROOPS ARE POURING THROUGH. A correspondent of the Associated Press at Ist Army Headquarters, in a message lodged about five hours after the attack began, said that the Americans gained two miles on a six mile front north of Aachen. The Associated Press describes the attack as “one of the greatest air and land assaults of the European campaign,” and adds that the mighty attack ended a stalemate of almost two weeks in which the Americans, after piercing the Siegfried Line in three places, had beaten off numerous strong enemy counter-attacks while building up supplies for another drive. People in scores of villages in France, Belgium and Holland, also on the German frontier, clustered to watch the vast armada pass over and dump their bombs on the Siegfried Line. The ground shook for miles around to the thudding of bombs supplemented by one of the most concentrated barrages ever fired from massed American guns. First reports from the front line said that bombing results Avere excellent.

Intensified BombingHundreds of medium bombers and fighter-bombers dropped tons of high explosives from grey, cloudy skies on German pill-boxes and gun-posts near Aachen, which the Germans are still holding strongly. American troops went in the moment the last plane left. A correspondent of Columbia Broadcasting System says the artillery barrage was directed against German anti-aircraft batteries in the Aachen area.. Then over 400 tactical bombers struck for 90 minutes against a comparatively small section of the Siegfried Line. As far as we could see the enemy did not put up any fighters. Our fighter-bombers went in after the bombers to crush what enemy resistance remained, then infantry began to pour into the gap. Advancing Slowly The American Ist Army’s infantry and tanks drove into the Siegfried Line for two miles on the sector between Aachen and Geilenkirchen, states an Associated Press correspondent. It was officially reported at 5 p.m. today that the Americans, following up an intensive air bombardment and artillery barrage, smashed 400 yards beyond the railway between Aachen and Geilenkirchen. At first they were under heavy small arms fire and forded the Wurms River (a small Meuse tributary, running north and south hereabouts). A staff officer said the Americans still are advancing slowly and meeting heavy resistance from enemy pillboxes and mortars. The Allied artillery barrage preceding the attack lasted four hours. Advancing Americans found that the avalanche of shells and bombs, in some places, had left the defenders of pillboxes dead at their posts. According to Brussels Radio, the Allies fired 30,000 shells in preparation for this attack. Reuter’s correspondent says the Americans’ two-mile advance takes them into the Siegfried Line at a point north of Aachen, where the defences narrow into one line. A staff officer this afternoon said: “It is going’ to be stubborn work breaking through, but I think we will make it.” First Army units are striking in strength at two points—namely northeast of Sittard and farther north, where they are meeting heavy artillery and small arms fire two miles east of the River Maas. Not Major Break-through Attempt American dive-bombing was particularly effective against troublesome pillboxes. The Germans in some areas are using phosphorous shells from potteries concealed in thick woods.

The British United Press correspondent says the relatively slow progress of the new -.attack (which Supreme Headquarters suggest is not a major break-through attempt), can be attributed mainly to the Germans’ new tactics. They are backing up infantry with mortars and deploying infantry around pillboxes, in addition to inside them. The Siegfried Line defences in the vicinity of Aachen are three to four miles in depth. The Germans at Aachen today brought up an ammunition train, but the driver, pulling up east of Aachen, made the mistake of blowing his whistle. The answer was a hail of Allied shells, which demolished the train. Garrison At Metz

Although the majority of German defenders at Metz are a mixed lot, there is a stiff nucleus of officer cadets from Metz training school, says Reuter’s correspondent outside the city. Local Frenchmen say that the Germans, when they occupied Metz in 1940, carried out extensive modernisation and rearming of forts on the west bank of the Moselle.

Salient Strengthened Allied troops have strengthened the Dutch salient by an advance north of Os. which hits cleared the enemy from the banks of the Maas River, says Monday’s communique from Supreme Headquarters. North-east of Nijmegen we repulsed attacks from enemy infantry and armour. To the south-west our forces, making further progress west of Turnhout. captured the village of Brecht, and an area three miles north of Merxplas. Fighters and fighter-bombers attacked troop concentrations, guns and transportation targets in support of our ground forces in Holland. Other fighters flew offensive patrols. Active patrolling has been maintained along the German border from Aachen to south-eastern Luxemburg. Our troops in the area north-east of Nancy, advanced into Foret de Gremecey and occupied high ground around Fresnes on Saunois. 15 miles north-east of Nancy, and Coutures, two miles to the south-east. We repulsed a strong counter-attack near Hallaucourt. local gains were made in the Epinal sector against strong resistance. Artillery fire was particularly heavy. The town of St. Jean du Marche, 11 miles east of Epinal, is in our hands. Mopping-up at Calais has been completed. The Canadians who captured Brecht also liberated Baerleduce, six miles north-west of Turnhout. A heavy enemy counterattack in the Huisen area is being held. The enemy has made no ground. Reuter’s correspondent says that forward units of the United States Third Army have advanced several miles and occupied high ground six miles north-west of Chateau Salins. Activity elsewhere on the Moselle front is confined to artillery duels and patrol activity.