D-DAY LANDING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25561, 14 June 1944, Page 5

D-DAY LANDING

AMERICANS' ILL LUCK MET ENEMY ON EXERCISES LONDON, June 12. “ I am very pleased with the situation in Normandy, but there is a good deal to be done yet,” General Montgomery told second front correspondents. “There are no longer any gaps between the British and the Americans, which is very good. “The width of the lodgment area is now over 60 miles from east of the Orne River to the American units nearing Cherbourg. The depth varies from 10 miles at some points to much more at others. It is a good, firm lodgment area, which we can use as a base for developing operations. “ We' have now won what I call the battle of the beaches. The violence, power, and speed of our assault carried us right over the beaches some miles inland very quickly—-except in one special case. “I previously told the soldiers that every man must be imbued with the idea of penetrating quickly and pegging out a claim inland, and not on the beaches. This had natural, but awkward, repercussions, because the Germans held out in concrete beach defences after we were inland as far as three miles. These Germans caused many casualties. They were a great nuisance for some days when snipers were wandering about in our area. We subsequently reduced these enemy posts, and are gradually cleaning up the snipers. * “ I made one exception when I spoke about quickly overrunning the beaches. This was the beach where the American troops landed east of Carentan Estuary. They ran into a German division which was not of the coastal defence forces, *• but a better field division—and it was actually engaging in battle exercise when the Americans landed. This good German division fought very well. The Americans, after heavy fighting all day on D-Day, advanced 100 yards inland bfeore evening. It was a tricky situation. “The Americans undoubtedly fought magnificently,” General Montgomery said. “They hung on and recovered from afi unpleasant situation, and they are now 10 miles inland, which is very good indeed. I discussed this beach battle with the American officers. Three things retrieved the situation: First, the gallantry of the American soldier, who is- a very brave man; secondly, the Allied navy’s supporting fire; thirdly, very jjood support from low-flying fighter-bombers whose pilots were aware of the situation. This recovery probably was one of the finest things of the invasion: “We have now joined up all the landings in Normandy into a solid line. Our soldiers—both American and British—are in tremendous form, full of beans, with their tails right up. They already have the measure of the Germans. We could not have achieved what we have done without the superb support of the Navy and Air Force."

General Montgomery said that among the snipers who had to be cleaned up before continuing the battle were a number of stout-hearted German women who were killed while doing their stuff. They were probably married to German officers.

General Montgomery, who was wearing a grey pullover and cordproys, spoke as heavy guns fired overhead seeking , out German forward positions. He looked tired, and his eyes were redrimmed, but he was extremely confident.