DUTCH SALIENT

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVI, Issue 23014, 4 October 1944, Page 5

DUTCH SALIENT

Whole Tip Ablaze British Occupy Overloom

By Telegraph—N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright LONDON. October 2. Forces of the British Second Army occupied Overloom, 18 miles south-east of Nijmegen, says Supreme Allied Headquarters. Other units advanced down the road from Deurne several miles toward Miejel. The whole northern- tip of the Dutch salient is ablaze with battle, says a correspondent of the British United Press with the British Second Army. Fresh enemy armoured units are known to be concentrating around the Nijmegen salient. There is every indication that the enemy intends to follow up his series of thrusts with a major attack if he is able to find a weak spot.

The Germans in the Reichswald Forest continue to be a nuisance. The Allies are shelling them and attacking them from the air.

The correspondent of the Associated Press reports that British armoured columns are cle'aning up to a depth of five miles on a front of 18 miles along the north-west flank of the salient, amid increasing signs that the Germans may be pulling out of the Dutch coastal loop.

North of the Antwerp-Turnhout Canal the Allies continue to advance across the Dutch border where they are opposed to 20 or 25 German battalions. The \ enemy is getting stronger in the Arnhem area both in infantry and tanks, reinforcements having been brought up.

Bulge Extended

The British west of Venlo are pushing east from the flank of the corridor across Holland, states the correspondent of the British United Press with the British Second Army. They are encountering considerable opposition, including a number of tanks. The Germans are still fighting hard to give their forces time to strengthen Germany's outer defences. We have also extended the Allied bulge toward the Antwerp-Turnhout Canal. There was considerable German activity to-day between Nijmegen and Arnhem, but no counter-attack developed. This is possibly due to our operations in the air, which brought a virtual lull in the battle for the marshlands. The Allied air forces continue to smash the enemy on the ground before the battle, also during sporadic fighting. Airmen are continuously attacking reinforcements which the Germans are attempting to move up by train and road. The temporary lull hereabouts must not be taken as an indication that the Germans have not pow'er to strike. The battle for the few vital miles between Tljmegen and Arnhem is likely to continue intermittently for days, particularly in view of the changeable weather. The correspondent of Reuter’s says that a few hours after the British last night repulsed two powerful counterattacks north of Nijmegen, reports came in that the Germans were already moving up reinforcements There was also evidence that the Germans were transferring s panzer division north, hoping to smash our bridgehead between the Waal and the Neder Rhine.

Germans Reinforcing

Lieutenant-General Sir Miies Dempsey is also receiving reinforcements for the northern tip of his salient. The Berlin radio stated that the wedge-shaped corridor the Allies have driven into Holland touches the German frontier at Beek, also at two other points. Rocket-firing planes of the Tactical Air Force to-day spotted 300 German soldiers cycling toward Arnhem and mowed them down like a scythe before they reached Zevenaar. Medium bombers, after earlier blows by the Air Force, also attacked the Arnhem bridge. Typhoons from a Rhodesian squadron exploded a 200-ton ammunition ship near Maasluis. The debris flew up 4000 feet and damaged all the planes engaged.

The correspondent of Reuter’s says that the Canadians north and west of Turnhout are encountering stiffening opposition.- The Germans are still endeavouring to prevent the widening of the great British salient and to deny the Allies sea approaches to Antwerp.

~ An Ministry communique states that Bomber Command aircraft last night bombed objectives in Brunswick and elsewhere in Germany. None is missing.

Mosquitoes of the Tractical Air Force during the night carried out non-stop attacks against the German troops and supplies moving from Germany to the battle area in Holland says the correspondent of Reuter’s with the Tactical Air Force. The attacks were concentrated in the area between Arnhem and the sea and as far east as Osnabruck.

Mosquitoes operating in the coastal S st J afed a A klrds of movement around the Dutch islands, and sank Island SeS and tUgS near Walcheren

Another message says that American heavy bombers in very great strength to-day attacked targets in Cologne and Cassel. Cologne about 30 miles north-east of Aachen is an ™P«rtant suppiy centre part attack German front now under