STILL SERIOUS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25084, 23 December 1944, Page 7

STILL SERIOUS

MAIN BLOW TO COME ENEMY PENETRATIONS NO CLEAR PICTURE LONDON, Dec. 21 Although they repor L several encouraging developments in countermeasures to the German offensive in Belgium and Luxemburg, front line correspondents stress the fact that the situation is still serious, for the enemy's main blow apparently has yet to come. The Americans are engaged -in a fierce battle to retake Malmedy, which the Germans captured. A 48-hour time-lag on official news of all operations in the First Army sector is being maintained for security reasons. Very Confused Fighting In South-east Belgium and Northwest Luxemburg, the correspondent added, fighting is very confused, and one report often cancels out another. Enemy tanks are chasing across the country, appearing unexpectedly in various places, and it is impossible to indicate a line. The enemy's consolidated gains are probably up to ten miles into Luxemburg and Belgium, but groups have penetrated far deeper. St. Vith is threatened, but American infantry are •till fighting there. An American broadcaster in Belgium reported today that the Germans have launched 11 new attacks south-west of St, Vith in the past 12 hours. Their advance is continuing. "Enemy tanks and infantry," the broadcaster added, "are showing up in areas not thought of last night." Road to Liege Reported Cut The German news agency today claimed that the Germans have penetrated into the Ardennes, crossed Northern Luxemburg to the Belgian frontier and cut the Bastogne-Liege road on a Y J de front. The agency also claimed that American prisoners now total 20,000. This Berlin report indicates an advance in five days of 20 or 30 miles. The situation is still extremely fluid, and no clear indication can yet be given °f which places the Allies still hold and J'hich they have lost in the area of the weak-through, which extends some 40 ®iles from the Stavelot area to Central Luxemburg. ; The German aim appears to be to All* , commun jcations leading to the Allied offensive fronts round Aachen and the Saar Valley, also the communications linking those two sectors. Thus battle is likely to rage over a very viae area of the Ardennes, embracing we whole of South-eastern Belgium nf" *P . Luxemburg. In some parts . ..the break-through area itself the »ui i. apparently holds firm, even „Niough it is completely outflanked. V;+k b° the case round St. A J?' .The Allied situation on both Mrs is reported to have improved. Main Battle Not Yet Joined now depends on the speed with tk l A ! licd reinforcements can reach to t u ground in sufficient strength , 5™ German advance and break P the advancing columns. Clearly, the ( 'n battle is not yet joined. W m ftundstedt's push is like a r J ra> says the British United Press Respondent at 21st Army Group "As soon as one thrust ennm s t°PPed or slowed down the thin?/ , a PPears somewhere else in the ohioia' Ardennes. The German jj;L T? a t present appears to be the wintft |. euse ' which would ho an ideal ita : . Providing a buffer against invasion of Germany. fir*? Y lncr ' can broadcaster with the iwt • m y said: "The situation has coin* lrr) P rove d, although at various WIWI ng , the "no °f the German of il" t "r ou gh we have stopped some »anAr erman spearheads. The Gerof tli- f n °t lessened the strength all They are throwing in ill n „ - v have. All information coming that this is the big attack." ■ Threat in St. Vith Area Prevents the pinpointing of is nn .„ GS . ? ne m.y penetration, but it <Wai n f C j ■ the most potent threat and », 11 ln the area generally west ated P of Sfc - Vith > says the AssociL, ' correspondent with the First n Rundstedt's drive has W ™ ? Co P fi than merely boosting ° ra!e ". D,,e oast of Butgenbach llto i„ are °"t in strength, operatSr « rsn^ r ? U^i 8 itipn J ts this morning of fresh mnss--.L en , ern y armour and infantry for tacka against key objectives.