SITUATION MAY DETERIORATE

Southland Times, Issue 25478, 26 September 1944, Page 5

SITUATION MAY DETERIORATE

Nazis Stronger On Rhine

(Rec. 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 25. Although receiving much-needed supplies, the airborne forces at Arnheim have not yet been relieved, says Reuter’s correspondent with the British 2nd Army in a dispatch dated midday yesterday. The Germans are becoming stronger along the north bank of the lower Rhine where they apparently intend making a stand and unless there is a major assault crossing soon, the position of the airborne forces may deteriorate.

Two squadrons of 19th Tactical Command Thunderbolts intervened in an armoured battle near Nancy yesterday morning at the urgent request of the American 3rd Army Commander, Lieutenant-General G. S. Patton, although the weather was completely unfit for operational flying. The planes took off from a rain-sodden airfield with a 500 feet ceiling.

One squadron commander said:

“We flew straight through the weather to the biggest tank battle I

ever saw. Main groups of Germans and Americans were shelling each other. The air was filled with cub spotting planes which scattered like birds when we came in.” The Thunderbolts knocked out two or three tanks in the field and then raked the woods in which the remainder of the German armour was deployed. Describing the Britsh 2nd Army’s race through Nijmegen to the lower Rhine to succour the airborne forces,

a British United Press correspondent says that a relieving column travelled in ducks. The road was dangerous because of the threat from roving bands of German infantry and tanks. Thirty German tanks in one place cut off the lines of advance soon after infantry in ducks passed through. A long line of ducks reached the bank of the Rhine at Nijmegen and rushed across the river without- rest. One section pushed along the main road to Arnheim on foot.

Dramatic messages came in hourly from the airborne troops: “The Germans are again attacking,” “the situation is worsening,” “supplies are urgently needed.” Knowing that every minute was precious the infantry struggled on under heavy fire from 88mm. guns scattered among the dykes. The British fought an all-out battle, north of Nijmegen, where they linked up with Polish paratroops, but enemy opposition after that weakened and it became a triumphant march to the river. Some parts of the river bank were too steep for the ducks, but the Poles produced home-made rafts with which they reinforced the hard-pressed British airborne forces. The ducks operated across the river in the first light of yesterday morning. “BRILLIANT IN CONCEPTION” A staff officer said: .“The whole thing was brilliant in conception and execution, especially in view of the troops’ long and tireless race.” British infantry last night and this morning ferried food and other supplies to the airborne forces across the lower Rhine. Relief came just in time because the airborne forces were holding on by sheer courage. Those who are fighting from house to house against superior German forces, north of the bridge are still cut off and their fate causes anxiety. CAPTURE OF LE HAVRE

DEVASTATING ATTACK FROM AIR

(8.0.W.) RUGBY, September 24. A brigadier of the 51st (Highland) Division, one of the two British divisions which captured Le Havre, declared that they found it was not necessary to kill the enemy in order to storm the positions. An air bombardment, provided it was sufficiently devastating, soon knocked the fight out of the enemy. The Royal Air Force’s preliminary bombardment saved the division many lives. The bombardment resulted in the Highlanders and the 49th Infantry Division entering the town after a brisk fight arid capturing 11,000 Germans, with casualties to themselves kept down to about 400.

Le Havre fell on the evening of September 11 and ever since September 4 Lancasters and Halifaxes had kept up an almost continuous attack on the garrison and fortified positions. More than 9500 tons were dropped, including more than 5000 on September 10. Beside bomb damage in the assault on the town there had been more than 100 air raids on it since the evacuation in 1940 and a good deal of the original bomb damage remains. The Germans also carried out additional demolitions on the railway yards and wharf facilities. SCENES OF DEVASTATION There are scenes of the greatest devastation with fantastic angles of tom steel and huge cranes leaning drunkenly into the water, with here and there the hull of a sunken vessel breaking the surface of the water. Le Havre itself also suffered and many civilians are homeless. Some were killed in the recent and earlier attacks. The townspeople are now busy pulling down dangerous ruins and part of the town is still without regular water and electricity. One Frenchman, however, typified the spirit of the inhabitants when he said: “We should like the R.A.F. to know that despite our great losses we remain happy to see the Boche driven out.”