THREE ARMIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25055, 20 November 1944, Page 5

THREE ARMIES

MASSED STRENGTH BRITISH ADVANCE gEBCENESS OP BATTLE SAVAGE RESISTANCE jfrecd. 11-30 P.m.) LONDON, Nov. 10 The Allied Commcmd is grasping Hie opportunity of fine weather and f now employing three great armies b a comparatively narrow front on bib, sides of Aachen, while the (Third Army forces at Thionville and Metz, and the French at the apjprbaches to the Belfort Gap, are hunching blows aimed at distracting |he direction of the German strategy. A battle was raging all around Geilenkirchen last night, says Reuter's corespondent at 21st Army Group Headbarters. Tactical air forces supported $8 British ground forces in clear jretiher, which prevailed all day. Tanks |k) supported the infantry advance. Elaborate Entrenchments Tie fiercest fighting raged round the of Setterich and Siersdorf, four iffi/jfa miles respectively south-east of jftflenkirohen. The British encountered re/j, savage resistance from elaborate perman entrenchments.

A later message says tho American Kinth Army captured the road junction W Siersdorf after a two-mile advance, lie place was little more than a heap rabble when tho American troops ■Wed in. « The American First Army captured Pressenich, ten miles east of Aachen. It !Ws the first sizable town to fall to the tew offensive. Field-Marshal Montgomery's spokessaid: "The enemy is not confeit merely with defending, but is putting in a series of small counter-attacks effort to regain lost ground." > Sustained Artillery Barrage The American First Army resumed its kttack east of Aachen yesterday inornagainst very light opposition. The British United Press correspondent says jjjwe are signs that the Germans in the Hartgen Forest are being worn down the heaviest sustained artillery wrrage of the war. American infantry slowly advancing through dense "'rSjt against fairly heavy mortar fire. «»)i .Americans reached a point six miles from Duron. •a- j® rc ® tank battles and artillery s™®" continue along the Ninth Army i™ n V w .fth the Americans holding dofminedly to all their gains. The GerW nB L 1 reo times attacked with tho .rest 60-ton Tiger Royal tanks with■.Sfl"» n K « n ' nc h of ground. They JOINT THRUST ® MILES INSIDE GERMANY 12.15 a.m.) LONDON. Nov. II) ikt B o ritish Press corresponfinV ® u P rem P Headquarters says the tho tr °°P s i * n n joint thrust with » , mor ' ca n Ninth Army north of ftiin a f e 15 miles inside Gervl'\ Ve m " os f roin the Ruhr, foad i rC^lerl, u 'hi c h is an important railway hub, is now almost Wri enve '°Ped hy the British and Irith - S! ! ys Renter's correspondent escatio 6 S e «md Array. The only Wk™!. f° r the Germans has I l b r U^ ht lmder shell fire. 3(| nt ,T c ' e ß ra Ph's corresponl Second Army says /°Mhp Gernians practically NAZAIRE ATTACK '" Thh fi °- m ' ) LONDON, Nov. 18 nn!? a, t ne "' s states that - Urona av I;11 nericnn forces, after a ;ill® gp. er - v Preparation, penetrated positions at St. Nazaire, the estuary of the