ARDENNES BATTLES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25737, 8 January 1945, Page 3

ARDENNES BATTLES

NEW AMERICAN THRUST

GRIM FIGHTING IN BULGE

■ (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright)

(Rec. 7 p.m.) LONDON, Jan. 7. “ South of Stavelot American troops launched a new offensive on Saturday morning, which now means that an attack is proceeding along a front of 20 miles,” reports a correspondent. “ Odeigne has now been taken, and an important supply route through the bulge further south is threatened. One of our divisions took 946 prisoners on Friday. On Saturday -troops pushing further into the bulge reached the outskirts of Lierneaux.”

Some of the American units driving against von Rundstedt’s northern flank are progressing against .noticeably lighter resistance, says Reuter’s correspondent with the Allied forces in Belgium. First Army forces advancing south-east from Grandmenil are now within a mile of the Germans’ vital Saint Vith-Laroche supply highway. -They are closing in on the crossroads near Fraiture, five miles south-east of Grandmenil. The Germans lashed back savagely against the British at the western tip of the salient and recaptured Bure. Rundstedt is reinforcing this front with fresh troops. Thirty German divisions are now believed to be committed inside the salient.

The German News Agency says that the fighting inside the bulge is the grimmest since D-Day.

German casualties to January 6 in the Ardennes battles are estimated at 100,000 killed, wounded, and prisoners, says the British United Press correspondent at Supreme Headquarters. ,

Although there is nothing spectacular in the day’s progress, a spokesman at Field-marshal Montgomery’s headquarters said on Saturday night that the attack is being maintained, with hard fighting. Ap illustration of the difficulties the British and American armies are facing on the northern salient is the comment of an American officer. “ This is the worst piece of ground I have ever had to fight on. With bad visibility and icy roads, it is an uphill battle, with the enemy looking down our throat. I believe we will go on all right, but it will be slow.”

THE NORTHERN SALIENT

ENEMY SUPPLY LINE CUT

(Rec. 1.15 a.m.)

LONDON, Jan. 7.

A late message from a correspondent states that the American Third Armoured Division has cut the road between Laroche and Saint Vith. This success means that unless the Germans can clear the road they will have only one supply route through the salient. A number of other Allied gains were made on the northern flank yesterday, although the Germans are still putting up a stiff fight. . '