COASTAL SCENE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25030, 21 October 1944, Page 7

COASTAL SCENE

NAVAL BOMBARDMENT BATTLESHIPS, CRUISERS NO SEA OPPOSITION (Reed. 12.30 a.m.) WASHINGTON, Oct. '2O Under a devastating bombardment from American battleships and American and Australian cruisers. United States troops landed along a 13-mile front on the eastern shore of Leyte Island, reports the combined Allied press correspondent with the Philippines invasion forces. Landings were made at three points. Firstly, San Ricardo, throe miles south of Tacloban; secondly, between San Jose am] Dulagj thirdly, at Poanan, on the southern tip of the island. Carrier planes filled the skies and the great battleships worked .slowly along the shore, sending continuous salvoes of shells across San Pedro Bay. The great armada of hundreds of ships steadily landed troops and equipment, and so far has not been molested by the .Japanese Navy. After eight hours, only one enemy plane appeared. The entire trip from New Guinea was made without interruption, except for a single enemy plane which was shot down. ROMMEL'S DEATH FACTS NOW STATED FIGHTER-BOMBER ATTACK (Reed. 11.30 p.m.) LONDON. Oct. 20 The Germans have at last admitted the true facts about Kommel's death. '1 liey have confirmed statements from Allied sources that he received mortal injuries when his car was attacked by .British fighter-bombers. "Rommel was returning to his headquarters from the front "along a road which did not offer any cover," said the German overseas news agency. "The car driver reported two fighter-bombers heading for the road, and Rommel gave the order to drive on at full speed. No sooner_ was this order given than the first aircraft began to attack. The ear stopped immediately, but it was too late.

"The first burst from the aircraft smashed the arm of the driver, and Rommel himself was hit in the face by splinters. The driver lost control of the car, which skidded sideways, and Rommel, who was about to jump off, was thrown out. He was left lying on tiie road unconscious with a fracture of the skull.

"Later, after the Allied aircraft had gone, Rommel was picked up and taken to hospital. At first it was thought he would recover and lie was taken home, hut fate willed it otherwise." The German news agency stated that the late Field-Marshal Rommel was huried at Wurtemburg on Wednesday. Field-Marshal von Rundstedt represented Hitler. An Order of the Day stated that Rommel died on October 14. He was posthumously awarded the Oak Leaves with Swords and Diamonds to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. BOMBS ON GERMANY HEAVY ALLIED RAIDS STUTTGART AND NUREMBURG meed. 11.30 p.m.) LONDON, Oct, 20 The R.A.F. Bomber Command sent out more than 1000 aircraft last night, with Stuttgart and Nuremburg as the main targets. Stuttgart was attacked twice within four and a-half hours. When a second force of Lancasters reached the city after midnight fires were still burning from the earlier bombing. The attacks were made through thick cloud. Icing added to the difficulties of the bomber crews. The bombing was done by sky and ground markers. Wiesbaden, iu the Rhineland, was also attacked. More than 1000 United States Fortresses and Liberators, escorted by more than 700 Thunderbolts and Mustangs, attacked military targets at Mainz and in thp Ludwigshafen and Mannheim area, South-western Germany, yesterday. The objectives were covered by clouds and the bombing was done by instruments. Eleven bombers and 11 fighters are missing.

BELGIAN DISCONTENT

FOOD AND FUEL SHORTAGES , LONDON, Oct: 19 Faced with a rising tide of popular feeling at the lack of essential foodstuffs, the reduction of electrical supplies, and the failure of the internal transport system, the Belgian Government, after a special session, today announced that lorries, escorted by armed gendarmes, would comb agricultural areas to bring in hoarded supplies of butter and domestic fats to Brussels and other cities and towns. Renter's correspondent in Brussels says that thousands of women and children marched through the main boulevards today and demonstrated outside the Ministry of Food. This is the second demonstration within 24 hours. They carried placards: "Bigger rations of Fats," "Coal for Factories and Heat for Homes," "Kill the Black Market," and "Arrest Traitors and Profiteers."

RELEASES FROM FORCES

AREA NOT A CONSIDERATION (Reed. 6.35 p..m) LONDON, Oct. 19 The Minister of Labour, Mr Ernest Bevin, was asked in the House of Commons whether any account was being taken in the demobilisation plan of the special hardships incurred by men serving in the South-East Asia Command. The Minister stated that it was not practicable to differentiate between services rendered in different theatres of war. Any differentiation was bound to result in indefensible anomalies. The Government's proposals for releases from the forces after the defeat of Germany were therefore based on a combination of age and length of service, irrespective of where the service was performed.