BREMEN SHELLED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 10 April 1945, Page 5

BREMEN SHELLED

BRITISH TROOPS NEAR SUFFER GERMAN RESISTANCE BRIDGES BLOWN UP London April 9. While British tanks and infantry were pressing along the roads five miles outside the great German naval base of Bremen this afternoon guns fired their first shells into the citv, says a correspondent writing from outside Bremen. German resistance stiffened today with the arrival of a S.S. training regiment to bolster up the Fifteenth Panzer Grenadier Division which has been opposing our troops in their trust towards the city form the southwest. The enemy is blowing up many of the bridges over the Weser south of Bremen and it is reported by civilians who came from Bremen this morning that the Germans have blown up all but one of the four bridges in the city. The investment of Bremen is threatening to cut off the outlet for paratroops opposing our forces who drove into Germany from north-eastern Holland. There is also a large number of troops to west of the Weser which the Seventh Armoured Division by-passed in its great drive yesterday. CIVILIANS JOIN IN FIGHT In mopping-uo operations in the last 24 hours several enemy pockets which were threatening our lines of communication were cleaned up. There was nuite a fight in which civilians joined for the the little town of Bassum. Groups of boys who ages ranged from 12 to 18 fired on our troops and wera taken prisoner. The Germans apparently are doing everything to persuade civilians to fight, but so far with little success. In faft. this is the first town where our troons have been definitely opposed by civilians. The enemy has a number of flying columns racing around the country carrying weapons of all kinds for distribution to civilians. In one village a wagon filled with bazookas was captured. SUBMARINE CREW CAPTURED On all farms in the Bremen area there is plenty of evidence of the fear the enemy had of R.A.F. bomber attacks on submarine depots, as in nearly every barn there are parts of submarines. Submarine crews are also billeted in the country away from the submarine yards. “Desert Rats” yesterday captured the entire crew of a submarine. Another correspondent says British armour is now five miles from the southern outskirts of Bremen and hold a front 16 miles below the city. ALLIES LINK-UP British airborne and United States Ninth Army troops have linked-up north-west of Hanover. Canadian tanks hold a 16-mile stretch of the east bank of the Ems north of Meppen and Canadian patrols cut the last road north of Zwolle east of the Zuider Zee. Canadian armoured units pushing north from Meppen are tonight less than 30 miles from Emden. No further contact has been established with airborne troops parachuted into Holland yesterday, but wireless communication is still maintained.