FORTS OF METZ

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25053, 17 November 1944, Page 5

FORTS OF METZ

MORE GIVEN UP NAZI DEFENCE PUZZLING VARYING EESISTANCE (Rccd. 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 16 A correspondent says the general picture on the American Third Army front in Lorraine is of hard fighting in the northern sector, holding actions in the centre, and a German withdrawal in the southern sector, with American troops following up as the enemy straightens his line. General Patton's forces yesterday threw back heavy German counterattacks in the .Tliionvillo area, where the enemy is using guns of Maginot Line forts against the Americans, says Reuter's correspondent with the American Third Army,, The Americans four miles north of Metz captured three more villages and made slight gains against stiffening resistance west and south of Metz. The escape gap from Metz is now only eight miles wide, having been reduced from a width of 15 miles. The Americans, in addition to occupying Fort Hubert and Fort Jussy, captured Fort Chatel St. Germain and by-passed Fort Briant and Fort Jean d'Arc. There is no sigu of the German garrison withdrawing from Metz, but why the Germans should give up forts almost without resistance if they intend to defend the city is a mystery. This is particularly baffling in the case of Fort Briant —the most formidable of its kind in Western Europe—which hardly fired a shot when the Americans by-passed it. Fort Briant was the scene of bitter fighting a month ago. The Germans south-west of Metz, however, launched their most determined counter-attack since General Patton's offensive began, using substantial tank support around Arrianc, soutfi of Remilly Forest. . The Times correspondent says that fighting near Metz yesterday went on over a snow-carpeted battlefield amid further falls of snow. The German news agericy commentator Sertorius said: "We do not regard Metz as a sufficientlyvaluable position to wage a battle to the death for it. Viewed from inside the German belt of fortifications, Metz constitutes merely an advanced outpost."