BRITISH ASSAULT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25697, 20 November 1944, Page 5

BRITISH ASSAULT

CARRIED INTO GERMANY GENERAL EISENHOWER’S PLAN MASTERLY SWITCH OF FORCES (Rec. 10.30 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 18. British Second Army forces who have previously been fighting only in Holland opened a new attack at 7 a.m. to-day south-east of Geilenkirchen, says Reuter’s correspondent. This first major British penetration of Germany was carried out in conjunction with the American Ninth Army assault further south. 'i Reuter’s military correspondent expresses the opinion that- the sudden appearance of the British in this area 'indicates that General Eisenhower, in a masterly switch of his forces, has revealed the main point of his all-out offensive. The Allied Command, grasping the opportunity of fine weather, is now employing three great armies on a comparatively narrow front on both sides of Aachen, while the Third Army forces at Thionville and Metz and the French -in the Belfort Gap launch blows aimed at distracting High German strategy. The battle is raging all around Geilenkirchen to-riight, says Reuter’s correspondent ,at Twenty-first. Army Group- headquarters. The Tactical Air Forces supported the ground forces in the clear weather which prevailed all day. Tanks also supported the infantry advance. One column reached the outskirts of Prumern, two miles east of Geilenkirchen, and another is already astride the Heinsberg-Geilenkirchen road. Very fierce fighting is raging around the villages of Setterich and Siersdorf, four and six miles respectively southeast of Geilenkirchen. The British encountered very savage resistance from elaborate' German entrenchments. Effort to Regain Ground Marshal Montgomery's spokesman said: “The enemy is not content merely to defend, but is putting in a series of small counter-attacks in an effort to regain lost ground.” Ninth Army forces in a synchronised attack captured Wurselen. The Allied armies continue the steady advance along the whole western front. The American Third Aimy this morning opened a powerful assault on Metz from the south and, according to the German News Agency spearheads have penetrated Sablon, one of the southern suburbs. Third Army patrols, according to Reuter’s Agency, also entered Metz from the west and crossed one of the main bridges - into the city. North-east of Thionville, other patrols crossed the frontier into Germany last night, near Perl, and tanks advanced three and a-half miles and reached the vicinity of Buozonville, 10 miles west of Saarlautern.

Reuter’s correspondent at Allied headquarters says the Germans are withdrawing rapidly in the sector near the junction of the German-Luxem-burg frontier. The American First Army made slight gains in the Vossenach area in the course of straightening out a dip in its lines. The Americans also resumed their attack east of Aachen this morning against very light opposition. Enemy Being Worn Down

The British United Press correspondent says there are signs that the Germans in the Hurtgen forest are being worn down under the heaviest and most sustained artillery barrage of the war. American infantry are slowly advancing through the dense forest against fairly heavy mortar fire. Fierce tank battles and artillery duels continue along the Ninth Army front, with the Americans holding determinedly all their gains. The Germans thrice attacked with their latest 60-ton Tiger “ Royal ” tanks without gaining ground. They lost 11 tanks. British Second Army troops advancing from their bridgehead at the junction of the Zig and Noord canals gained 5000 yards, cutting the main Meijel-Venlo road west of Panigen. says the British United Press correspondent. A second bridgehead across the Zig canal has been forced and is being extended into the Brockheidc area. 6000 yards south-east of the first bridgehead. The last enemy troops are being cleared from Wessen. The Germans still hold a small bridgehead across the Maas west of Roermond. The German News Agency stated that British and American forces, after a strong artillery preparation, penetated the German position at St. Nazaire.