WILL TAKE TIME

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

WILL TAKE TIME

REPLY TO OFFENSIVE INITIAL FORCE BLUNTED (liecd. 5.35 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 21 It was officially stated at the American First Army headquarters today that von Rundstedt's offensive is not likely to be halted this week, "as our counter-measures will take 1 ime." Reuter's correspondent at 2.lst Army Group headquarters states that the situation on the First Army front is not deteriorating. The initial force of (lie enemy's blow has been blunted. Allied guns and armour are being hustled every hour to the most threatened zones, and are already throwing the weight of their firepower against the advancing enemy hordes. Mist Over Battle Area A spokesman at Field-Marshal gomery's headquarters says that the German attacks have made considerable progress, and that we must expect them to make more, but applied counter-measures are now beginning to take effect. A thick, swirling mist still envelops much of the battle area, also most of the front from Aachen to Arnliem. Reuter's correspondent with the First Army says the Americans are still fighting around Echternach, on the Ger-man-Luxemburg border, although an enemy thrust through Consdorf made further gains. The northern shoulder of the American Ninth Army in the Stavelot sector stiffened and made numerous counterattacks. German paratroopers who landed here joined up with armoured forces. American tank - destroyers smashed the attempts of German armour to rescue elements of their forces, including 60 tanks, trapped near Stavelot. The Americans destroyed about 30 tanks. Stavelot Bridge Destroyed This forCe of Germans became trapped when it tried to withdraw through Stavelot, but the Americans sealed the route by blowing up the only bridge over the river. The Germans are still trying to send swimmers across the river in an effort to establish a bridgehead but the Americans are shooting them in the water. An American broadcast from France said: "The Germans have progressed so far that it is clear that the term 'break-through' is the proper way to describe the attack. Our own military commanders admit that this is the allout German counter-offensive." The broadcaster added: "The First Army is working day and night building up measures to stop this mighty German drive." The Associated Press correspondent at Supreme Headquarters reports that von Rundstedt's offensive showed the first signs of lagging as the American First Army stiffened. The Germans had to slow down to await infantry support moving up on foot. There is still 110 suggestion that the German onslaught has been stopped. Hammering Attacks Kept Up The British United Press correspondent with the First Army says American tank-destroyers and bazookas are knocking out German Tiger and Panther tanks one after another, but still they keep coming. Town after town is being over-run. The enemy tank army, followed by the finest infantry he has, is keeping up its hammering attacks against the First Army. Grey skies again greeted the Americans as they anxiously awaited the air support which would equalise their duel against the enemy's giant 88-ton tanks. Prisoners say "the German offensive is aimed at giving the German nation Aachen as a Christmas present. REMAINING AT POSTS (Recti. 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 22 The Belgian Cabinet, after a special meeting yesterday, sent a call to all public officials. The message emphasised that in the light of the military situation they must on no account leave their posts. GERMANS DENY ATROCITY LONDON, Dec. 21 A Berlin radio military spokesman, denying that Germans had massacred American prisoners, as recently reported from the Western Front, added: "Such allegations are an attempt to stir up the fighting spirit of American soldiers."