BRITISH THRUSTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25674, 24 October 1944, Page 5

BRITISH THRUSTS

OPERATIONS IN HOLLAND SATISFACTORY PROGRESS LONDON, Oct. 22. Highlights of to-day’s western front news are two attacks by Second British Army troops in Holland this morning, states a correspondent. One force launched a thrust froim near Os, 15 miles south-west of Nijmegen, advancing some 2000 yards to the southwest, -and the second force advanced about the same distance north-west from the Zuidke-Willemsvaats canal area. Both forces are apparently converging on Hertogenbosch. Progress continues to be satisfactory. Enemy troops are also reported to have withdrawn from Opheusden and Dodewaard, which are 13 miles northwest of Nijmegen. The enemy heavily mined these towns before withdrawing, also scattered booby traps. To-day our forces moved into the vicinity of both places, which will be occupied when the mines and traps are removed. General Dempsey’s thrust south-east down the Os-Hertogenbosch road had progressed two miles by to-night, with advanced patrols more than a mile farther on, says Reuter’s correspondent with the British Second Army. North-west along tb,e road from Vechel progress is slower, but satisfactory. The German garrison at Middlerode, five miles south-east of Hertogenbosch, is now outflanked from both sides, and also faces a frontal attack. The Germans are surrendering readily, 260 having So far been taken prisoner in the northern drive and 100 in the south. But the terrain, which is intersected by waterlogged ditches, has probably slowed down the British advance. The British United. Press correspondent says the Terheijden bridge near Flushing, which was destroyed by R.A.F. Mosquitoes, was on the import-

ant German railway escape route. The bridge was the principal railway connection with the area, in which large German forces are now massed, trying to hold up the Canadians’ northward advance at Dordrecht.

The Canadians, advancing along the line of the Rozendaal canal, have established two bridgeheads over the canal. A Czech brigade is now operating with the Canadian First Army.

The Americans this morning opened an attack against Wurselen, where fighting is going on, says Reuter’s correspondent with the American First Army. The Americans in the Aachen area buried over 15,000. enemy dead. Fifteen hundred prisoners were counted in Aachen, 600 of whom surrendered with the garrison commander. The Americans, after, an artillery bombardment at dawn this morning, opened an attack north of the Foret de Parroy. It was made in the vicinity of Coincourt, says Reuter's correspondent with the American Third Army. The bombing of the Dieuze dam resulted in the submerging of an area 10 miles long and upwards of one and ahalf miles wide. Four other towns as well as Dieuze are flooded or submerged.