TANK SPEARHEADS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25804, 27 March 1945, Page 5

TANK SPEARHEADS

FRANKFURT BY-PASSED

SWIFT ADVANCE

. (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) (Rec. 1 a.m.) LONDON, Mar. 26. In a great sweep forward from its bridgehead over the Rhine at Worms, General Patton’s Third Army has by-passed Frankfurt and entered Aschaffenburgy 20 miles to the south-east. Spearheads closing on Frankfurt itself were last reported only six miles from the city. The Frankfurt radio has been off the air to-day. Aschaffenburg was captured after the Americans had taken a bridge over the Main river intact. The area between Darmstadt, which was captured yesterday, Frankfurt, and Aaschaffenburg is rapidly being cleared, and 5000 prisoners were taken during the day. . Patton’s army has crossed the Rhine at several new points, and he now has seven bridgeheads over the river. The most northerly is only a few miles from General Hodges’s First Army forces pushing south down the east bank. United States forces ran wild after the break-out and sent back an appeal for someone to take care of the prisoners they are capturing in such large numbers that they are unable to handle them. Darmstadt was captured on the way to the Main. Reuter’s correspondent says that Frankfurt, from which the inhabitants are reported to be streaming because of the approach of the Third Army, has a population of well over 500,000. It is an important communications centre. Ten railways converge on it, and it is a focal point of many main highways.