NIJMEGEN SECTOR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25802, 24 March 1945, Page 7

NIJMEGEN SECTOR

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

(Roc. l a.m.) LONDON, Mar. 23. Since dawn to-day Tactical Air Force planes have been out over north-west Germany, maintaining the terrific air offensive against targets east of the Rhine. German warnings of an imminent assault across the river by Field-marshal Montgomery’s t*.Army Group continue.

Correspondents at Montgomery’s headquarters state that fierce patrol clashes occurred during the night, particularly in the Nijmegen area. 1 The Third and Seventh American Armies are striking heavy blows at the remnants of the German Army trapped west of the Rhine in the Saar Palatinate. General Patton’s tanks are closely threatening the last two escape routes across the river. The Seventh Army has captured Pirmasens. Since they crossed the Moselle on March 14 the Allies have taken more than 100,000 prisoners in the Rhine-Saar-Moselle triangle. The Third Army captured 80,000 of them.

The Germans , west of the Rhine are now herded into a 30-square-mile triangle. The pocket was originally 5000 square miles. The German positions at the east end of the Siegfried Line are holding fairly strongly in a desperate effort to keep open the last avenues for flight.

German troops have been evacuated from the Palatinate, according to the Berlin radio. The German forces radio reported Allied attempts to cross the Rhine, apparently on reconnaissance, at points along a 40mile stretch between Bonn and Dusseldorf. Heavy British artillery has arrived in the Wesel area and begun practice shooting to enable the gunners to get their bearings.