GERMAN WITHDRAWAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 15 August 1944, Page 2

GERMAN WITHDRAWAL

GOOD ORDER KEPT SMASHING ALLIED AIR BLOWS (Rec. 10.45 a.m.) London, August 14. The continuous flow eastwards of retreating Germans armour and “soft” vehicles from the gap between Falaisc and Argentan is still going on. A staff officer on General Dempsey’s headquarters said: “The air force impression is that this is in no sense the kind of retreat one heats about on the eastern front. About 1000 vehicles were shot up yesterday but the enemy managed to preserve order extremely well. He used side roads and hedgerows, armour being interspersed with “soft” vehicles. There are seldom more than 30 vehicles in the convoys. The enemy got some of his forces halfway out of the bulge west of the Orne last night. Groups of small convoys were previously sen passing through the gap south of Falaise.” Reuter's correspondent says there is still no evidence to suggest where the German commander intends to form a new line. Estry. for which the Germans fought for several weeks, at last is m British hands. We took about 300 prisoner in this region. The Americans have advanced *o within artillery range of Falaise reports the National Broadcasting Company's correspondent, who adds that German orders are to stand and fight and withdraw only when necessary. That is exactly what they are doing. Hitler is throwing in a considerable number of foreigners. Eighty per cent, of the reinforcements are foreign. Describing the American movement north to Argentan the British United Press correspondent says troops sped through Alencon so hot on the heels of the retreating Germans that the enemy had no time to destroy bridges or mine roads. “LIKE A NIGHTMARE” The American general in charge of this drive said: “We used the Germans' own methods against them. We scattered them with armour, then encircled them and chewed them up. We moved so fast that the Germans didn’t know what was happening.” Giving pictures of the other side of the gap the British United Press correspondent with the English and Canadians before Falaise said Allied planes were over Falaise at first light this morning. The roar of bombs mingled with the crash of cannon. The air forces are combining with them army to deal a smashing blow against enemy vehicles on the road as they try frantically to pull out of the trap. Twelve Germans walked into the Allied lines this morning saying they could not stick it another day because they were not getting sleep and food. They described scenes in the Palaise area as like a nightmare owing to the mass bombing of roads and blazing supply dumps, and the German High Command drive to get its crack SS division out even at maximum sacrifices. Prisoners said that the last line of defence before Falaise has been entrusted at Hitler’s orders to crack SS troops who have sworn to hold the crossroads or die to the last man. The Germans have now completed an iron girdle of defences around Falaise. They include dug-in Tigers, Panthers and Mark IV special tanks of the SS Armoured Division stretching in a semi-circle. To-day massed batteries were shelling the Falaise-Lisieux highway which is jammed with every type of vehicle the Germans are able to get to hasten their withdrawal. The gap between the Canadian and American armies in the Falaise area is now less than 15 miles, stated the British United Press correspondent this evening. It narrowed 2£ miles to-daj' when the Allies advanced under a heavy bombardment from 1100 R.A.F. heavy bombers. We discovered as we advanced that the enemy’s withdrawal had been greatly speeded up. He is leaving one-third of his numbers to the defence of the retreat routes, while the other two-thirds escape. RETREATING FORCES Besides more than 100.000 men there are approximately 1200 tanks and nearly 400 huge German assault guns in the retreating forces. says Reuter’s correspondent. German forces threatened with being locked up include the heart of Hitler's remaining armour in the west.

It was disclosed to-day that in setting a trap for the Germans. American armour and infantry overran at least eight forests containing vital German armour installations, ammunition and shell cases of all types. At least two forests contained what a staff officer said was more important to the Germans—petrol

Von Kluge must make full use of the uext 48 hours if he hopes to extricate the remnants of his stricken Seventh Army through the narrowing Falaise gap. Elements of several panzer divisions have already slipped from the gap which, however, has been squeezed tighter.

Meantime, von Kluge is scraping the Pas de Calais area—where on D-Day the heaviest German concentrations in the west were centred—for reinforcements for his grim battle of retreat’. Yesterday and again to-day more German transport thronged the roads than at any time since the summer of 1940. The movement follows two main roads —the fifst from Mortain and Flers towards the gap between Falaise and Argentan. and the second from the north-east coast towards Paris and the Seine.

It is not certain how much of the German Army is now east of Falaise. All the evidence indicated that the withdrawal is being conducted reasonably well in an organised fashion and is well spaced out. Full use is being made of secondary roads. AMERICANS BEYOND ARGENTAN London, This Day. Latest reports put the Americans beyond Argentan, south-east of Falaise. The Canadian attack from three miles on the other side of Falaise is going better than “according to plan.” British newspaper comment concentrates on the battle of the gap. There is general agreement that the gap is nearly closed but s. e commentators are cautious about claiming that the whole of «Te German forces will be trapped. “The Times” points out that General Eisenhower has called the opportunity “fleeting." While the main roads are blocked, adds the paper', there are minor ones which, at this,time of the year, are capable of carrying all but the heaviest traffic.

It is pointed c ut that converging Allied armies are close enough for guns of the Canadians to shell the same place as the Americans can from the other side of Falaise.