BRITISH DRIVE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25673, 23 October 1944, Page 5

BRITISH DRIVE

NORTH-EAST OF ANTWERP LINK UP WITH CANADIANS (Rec. 10 p.m.) . LONDON, Oct. 22 ; British tanks, sweeping along ‘ the Canadian right flank in • a new drive north-east of Antwerp, have,- after a ‘ five miles’ dash, linked up; with the Canadians, says Reuter’s- correspondent. The British and Canadians last night were-rangsd along the south bank of the Rozendaal canal on the Belgian-Dutch-frontier. vIT, The British, to- reach the Canadians, . fought their way through an important road junction to the town of. Wuestwezel, two and a-half miles south of the Dutch border on the'Breda road. The Germans tried, to defend the town house by house, but were blasted out. The Rozendaal. canal is situated, seven miles below Rozendaal, which is an important road and-railway junction 20 miles due north of Antwerp. The Exchange Telegraph correspondent at Allied headquarters reports that the Canadians . yesterday afternoon covered the last 1500 yards to-Breskens and are now fighting on . the. outskirts of the city, whereat is.estimated there are 1000 enemy troops. Reconnaissance units, south of Leopold canal, reached the Zeebrugge area.- Civilians reported that Zeebrugge is clear, of the enemy, but that fact,is not confirmed.' - ; -

Canadians have forced a new crowing -'of the Leopold canal, five miles north-east of Bruges, in a major drive to free Antwerp Harbour, says Reuter’s correspondent with the Canadians. The crossing, which was made in the German rear near Oostkerke, forced the Germans to withdraw from their canal positions in this area. British and Canadians further east are fighting a fantastic “ Red Indian” war in the woods near Calmpthout in their new' offensive amied at strengthening their positions on the south Beveland bottleneck. v

Reuter’s correspondent at Twentyfirst Army Group headquarters says the British are firmly consolidated southeast of Venraai. The Americans with the British Second Army continue to make steady progress southward over the Deurne canal. The remainder of General Dempsey’s front is very quiet. Using 1000-lb bombs, Thunderbolts yesterday breached a dam two miles south-east of Dieuze, flooding the town of Dieuze and the adjoining countryside, and hampering German commanications, says Reuter’s correspondent at Third Army headquarters. The attack was carried out without loss in 'the face of heavy flak. The flooded area is steadily increasing, An Allied communique states: “In the attack which began on Saturday morning north of Antwerp the Allies advanced more than three miles to Loenhout. West of Calmpthout we made good gains and south-east of the village we advanced on both sides of the Antwerp-Roosendaal road. In the Scheldt pocket more ground was taken south of Schoondijke and the original > bridgehead was merged with the main westward drive. Fighters and fighterbombers attacked fortifications in the Breskens area and continued to give close support to our ground forces. Other attacks were carried but in the neighbourhood of Bergen op Zoom. “We made gains east and north of Bryeres. /following the capture of . that stubbornly-defended strongpoint, and counter-attacks were thrown back. In Vosges foothills further south rein- - forced enemy units counter-attacked in a vain attempt to halt our.advances east of the Moselqtte Ben area. Opposition is being cleared rapidly from the forests in this sector.”