NAZIS FLEEING

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25157, 21 March 1945, Page 7

NAZIS FLEEING

BACK TO RHINE ROADS CHOKED TARGETS for aibmen ENEMY'S HART) CHOICE (H<rd. 11.35 p.m.) . LONDON, March 20 German forces trapped in the Saar-Moselle-Rhine triangle, says a correspondent at Supreme Headquarters, last night were streaming toward escape bridges across the Rhine. The bridges between Mainz and Karlsruhe were reported to be intact except for the Mainz bridges. Tactical Air Force pilots reported that the roads leading to Mainz. Mannheim and Karlsruhe were so choked by Germair military traffic that they did not need to search for gargets —they just used all their bombs and ammunition within a few minutes Swarming Over Nahe The Third Army, in the centre of the three-river triangle, is leap-frogging the Nahe over bridges presumably captured intact or hastily thrown across the river. Tanks have swarmed over these crossings into new and open territory, and the whole oi the German positions west of the Nahe River have been shattered. Third Army infantry lias driven well beyond Merzig. General Patton's troops captured a German field artillery battalion intact while clearing Dirmingen, 17 miles east of Merzig. Reuter's correspondent at Supreme Headquarters says that German resistance along the Saar and Siegfried Line, although they know it is hopeless, is designed primarily to hold open the escape routes north and south of Mainz. In spite of the fact that the Third Army has an equivalent ot six tank divisions prowling and smashing up posi- j tions and communications, the Germans hope to prevent the Seventh Army from crashing through from the south and engulfing the whole west bank of the Rhine Major Diversion The Third Army offensive ia a diversion of major importance, says Renter's, ffiiljtarv correspondent. General Patton is employing more armour than in the Normandy break - through. General Eisenhower is forcing the German High Command to make the most difficult decision. Ft it continues to leave only small forces in the south, it risks deep disorganising penetrations by General Patton and the French Army. If it shifts its forces to the south to oppose the Third Army, it must weaken its main front opposite Field-Marshal Montgomery. The Germans will probab be compelled to send reinforcements to the south. This indirect achievement of General Patton's break-through may be more important than any direct gains CLEARING RHINE RANK VENGEFUL GESTAPO MEN LONDON, March 10 Except for a pocket two miles long, the Third Army now controls the west hank of the Rhine for 30 miles fjoin Co bleu/, to Bingen, where the Nahe Biver flows into the Rhine. The Allied Military Government has taken over the administration of Coblenz. which was entirely cleared of the enemy when the last group of German troops surrendered this morning. Costapo inen inside a building opened fire against them, wounding some. The populace of Kreuzenach. further South, is reported to be hostile to the Allies. v BOMBS ON ENGLAND u.io p.m.) LONDON, March 20 German V bombs Rent against SouthEngland in the 24 hours up to dawn this morning caused casualties and Damage.