AMERICAN TANKS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25660, 7 October 1944, Page 7

AMERICAN TANKS

THREAT TO RHINELAND SHARP GERMAN REACTION RUGBY, Oct. 5. Through what front-line troops described as the heaviest German artillery barrage of the campaign, American tanks, after a one and a-half mile advance, to-day captured Beggendori, an important road junction three miles south-south-east of Geilenkirchen, says the Associated Press correspondent with the American First Army. The Germans rushed up tanks to meet this threat to the Rhineland, and a major tank battle appeared to be developing to-night. The British United Press correspondent says the latest advance means that American armour has penetrated to the edges of the Cologne plain. Obstacles which the Americanscleared to-day included a huge antitank ditch which conscripted German civilians dug recently, American batteries are pounding Geilankirchen, which is under direct attack as the infantry close in from the south and west.

First Army infantry occupied Kerk- £ a . de > on the Dutch side of. the SiegLine, after bitter house-to-house fighting. Heavy German shelling con- };? ue , d all da y throughout the entire Übach-Beggendorf salient, resembling machine-gun fire on a huge scale rather than ordinary shelling. American tanks >are now completely through the Siegfried Line’s concrete emplacements, but are coming ud .against earthworks which are proving more difficult than the West Wall g a tirJPZ , ath . er is v , e ;-y foggy, making air activity impossible. troops were to-night clingmg to a foothold within the shadow of the two gigantic casements at the south-west corner of Fort Briant, after repulsing a German counter-attack which surged across the top of the fort says the British United Press correyil61 * 6 * s now fighting in the mam subterranean passages, which er i ma , ns^ stlJl secureJ y hold behind $ k u !t? eI do , ors - The third day of i-iivw ended with the Americans holding about one-tenth of the area enclosed by the fortress walls tanks and infantry attackmg the Siegfried Line south-east of Overioon during the night beat off ? counter-attacks in rain and bitter cold, says Reuter’s correspondent with the American ' First Army. Both armies are fighting a hard battle in the mud, marshes, and swamplands. One battle last night was iought over an American road-block, where the First Army penetrated nine miles into the thick woods of Gerf east and north-east of Roetgen. American infantry penetrated into the subterranean tunnel of Fort reports Reuter’s correspondent With the American Third Army. They gained some ground, despite fanatical opposition and shelling from other forts.