FALAISE DRIVE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24971, 14 August 1944, Page 3

FALAISE DRIVE

JUNCTION OF FORCES THURY HARCOURT TAKEN ENEMY'S ROBOT TANKS (B«cd. 7.50 p.m.) t LONDON, Aug. 13 Hard fighting won tho success on the sector south-east of Grimbosq, where British troops, working round on 'the southern edge of Gingaia Forest, took the village of Barbery and linked up with the Canadians. This has flattened out the bulge on the o:ne bridgehead and gained useful manoeuvre space east of the river for concentrating troops and reinforcements. A correspondent says the junction with the Canadians slammed the door on what Germans remain to tho north, but these aro not expected to be many, as it is thought that most escaped. Yesterday's fighting by the bridgehead troops also saw a rapid widening out to the east on the south-east part of the bridgehead. These troops spread out as far as five miles east of Thury Harcourt and reached the village of Bois Halbout, one and a-quarter miles west of Mouline. Heavy Defence Zone On the left of this force the Canadians have come up against tho German heavy defence zone, consisting of a series of strongly-hekl defence lines in depth along the line of the River Laize. All German liopes of holding any line east of the Orne Iliver and using the high embankments of the river as natural fortifications were shattered when British tanks and infantry captured the bitterly-contested town of Thury Harcourt. General Dempsey's Second Army forces are now pressing beyond the town and have already taken Esson, three miles south-east of Thury Harcourt. Many important roads converge at Thury Harcourt, which was one of the main switching points for the movemp- 1 ' of German troops. Enemy pocke w resistance which sprang up af* 1 "" town was reported to have cleared are gradually being wiper l out. Enemy Counter Attacks

Fighting contin^- 6 }.' Ie southeastern thrust p' 1,0 Canadian Army. Messages inc]'-'" e that Vimont is still held by th- az ' 3 - , , . fji, B pjrmans launched a seriea or locn J counter-attacks against tho ■palish, Canadians and Poles north-east of Falaiso, says lieuter's correspondent. Three of the enemy thrusts were directed against St. Sylvain, east of the Caen - Falaise road, but all wero defeated.

The correspondent of tho British united Press says the Germans used about 20 full-sized robot tanks against the Canadians. "They are getting on toward the size of Sherman tanks," an officer said. "I saw one robot tank travelling straight toward me. I had it in mv sights and was about to fire when it blew up 50 or GO yards away." Other Canadians saw robot tanks coming on, but there are no reports that they damaged any of the Allied tanks.

'Although tho Germans have prepared elaborate .screen of anti-tank puns and dug-in tanks in their effort to halt the Allied drive against Fa lake, Engliflh and Canadian tank losses have been lighter than was expected and enemy Josses substantial. Tho Poles who are "ghfeing with the Canadians are Quipped with hundreds of tanks and strong artillery units.

ALL GOING WELL MONTGOMERY'S CONFIDENCE GERMAN FORCES IN BAD WAY LONDON, Aug. 11 ''We hare heen through pome difficult times since D Day, and on occasions patience and confidence have been necessary if we were not to falter," ?aid General Sir Bernard Montgomery (iljft message to the troops in France, crir ? t ' ie Sniggle was at its most j 'N stage there were 6orne who , uoted whether we could win through, iV 0 ] 1 ant ' ' .had no doubts. iw« • ,v , a " 13 we 'l. Our armies are ,orii)2 relentlessly and swiftly into fm- n nce '- ffoat bulk of the German JJVces m north-west Europe are in a r>loi» Wa - v " , ? : '. re around them at many will \ ' s Possible some of them in „ no aw "y- The.v will tight hard effn»J 0 i ".master, but lot us make an fn*r. Q W| pe off this powerful German " And so .hasten tho end of the war. affiiin'f J am ! are hearing up well tliniml* ". V !"C bomb nuisance. Our all in li ■ aro thorn because wo a-re tajpo Ji" s together. We are determined Blsta • * 'natter utterly finished. Comihfl ? s ahead. J,et us continue rentW6d and eV °»