FEROCIOUS NAZI RESISTANCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24956, 27 July 1944, Page 5

FEROCIOUS NAZI RESISTANCE

TERRIFIC AIR ASSAULT BY ALLIES (Received July 26, 11.30 p.m.) LONDON, July 26 Progress has been made by the British and American forces in their new offensive in Normandy. Reports from all sectors emphasise the unprecedented ferocity of the German resistance. In the sector south of Caen the advances by the British and Canadian troops vary from 1000 yards to a mile, on a front of three and a-half miles. Fighting is going on around May sur Orne and Tilly la Campagne. Earlier reports said both villages had been taken by the Canadians, but later the Germans were reported to have fought their way back into them. West of St. Lo the Americans have broken into the German defences on a wide front.

The air bombardment which preceded the American ground attack was described as terrifying to watch. It was concentrated in an area of ten square miles, on which 3000 aircraft dropped 6000 tons of bombs. The enemy's lines were blasted for 75 minutes and the earth five miles away trembled under the explosions. As the roar of aircraft died away the American artillery began. It was the biggest barrage the American forces so far have used in Normandy. No enemy fighter opposition was encountered during this attack, which was probably the greatest ground-air action of the war. Fighters and fighter-bombers of the R.A.F. flew nearly 1000 sorties in support of the attack by the British troops south of Caen. Their main weight covered a front about five miles wide and two miles deep. The Germans are using reinforcements brought up during last week's spell of bad weather. A correspondent comments on the large number of S.S. divisions among these reinforcements. He says S.S. troops make up about 5 per cent of the divisions of the German Army on all fronts, but in Normandy they total about 20 per cent of Rommel's forces.