IN HOLLAND

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25172, 9 April 1945, Page 5

IN HOLLAND

NEAR ZUIDER ZEE GERMANS CUT OFF THRUST BY CANADIANS SOME PIERCE FIGHTING (Reed. 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, April 8 In Holland, the Canadians have reached Zwolle, about ten miles from the Zuider Zee, and have cut off all the German troops in Western Holland. The Germans still have four complete divisions and elements of a fifth in Holland. There are also garrison troops and Dutch S.S The German strength in Holland is estimated at 100,000 men. Canadian armoured forces are swarming over the Dutch countryside north of the Twente Canal in the V site area, reports JReuter's correspondent. They developed a twin thrust toward the Zuider Zee through Zwolle and Deventer. The northern column cleared Gransbergen and pushed on westward to Hankate. The Canadians on the left crossed the Schipbeek Canal, which runs through Deventer. The Germans fell back inside Deventer, where they are apparently preparing to make a determined stand. Heavy fighting is raging inside Zutphen for the fourth day. There is no sign of the enemy garrison collapsing. Enemy troops on the Arnhem front crossed the Neder Rhine again and secured a small foothold on Nijmegen Island.

Messages from Supreme Headquarters say the Canadians now control most of the line between Zwolle and Meppen, which lies on the Dortmund-Ems Canal about 47 miles south of Emden. Just to the south of Meppen the Guards Armoured Division is having one, of the toughest battles of the Western Front. As they thrust out from their bridgehead over the Ems thev are meeting every kind of obstaclemines, craters felled trees and demolitions. The Germans are making good use of their 88mm guns. But the Guards have gone forward another eight miles and heavy German traffic is reported to be moving out from the area.