FLUID WARFARE RAGING

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVI, Issue 23083, 23 December 1944, Page 5

FLUID WARFARE RAGING

Germans Not Yet Halted Objective Believed To Be Meuse By Telegraph—N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright (Received 10 p.m.) LONDON, December 21. GERMANY’S great counter-offensive has developed into two main wedges, one of which had by noon on Tuesday driven to the village of Habiehont; 14 miles west of Malmedy, and the other had smashed threefourths of the way across Luxembourg, says the correspondent of the Associated American Press at Supreme Allied Headquarters. American resistance has stiffened on both the northern and southern flanks, according to this report, which is more than 50 hours old. The correspondent of the British United Press says that, because of the security blackout, it cannot be stated whether the position since then has improved or deteriorated, but it is known that the German offensive comprises six prongs along a 60-mile front, which is still very fluid for 50 miles in the centre. The fury of the battle is mounting, says Reuter’s correspondent, and German reinforcements are probably ready to be pushed in at the appropriate time. Fluid warfare is being waged in the 50-mile gap on a scale unknown since the invasion started. The Germans achieved their greatest penetration in the Malmedy sector in a long thin triangle with its base on Malmedy and St. Vith. From there the line of the German advance runs south to a point due east of Wilz, where another surge carried the Germans almost through Luxembourg. The line then swings slightly east toward Echternach, where the Germans penetrated about eight miles. One of the greatest arid strangest battles in history is now going on. Almost unidentified tanks and armoured cars are racing between the lines. Germans wearing American uniforms are riding in vehicles bearing Allied insignia. Flying bombs constantly splutter through the mist overhead. More German paratroops .were dropped on Monday night a few miles south-west of Habiehont with the object of harassing the Allied rear. The weather continues to favour Marshal von Rundstedt, who has considerable reserves of men and armour and is unlikely to allow his flanks to be pinned down indefinitely. The Americans’ greatest probleip is the handling of the situation in the 50-mile central region where the Germans spurted through in powerful columns. Von Rundstedt’s push is like a Hydra (the fabulous many-headed snake). As soon as one thrust is stopped or slowed down the enemy appears somewhere else in the thick tangled Ardennes. The German objective appears to be the Meuse, which would be an ideal winter line providing a buffer against the invasion of Germany.

Reuter’s correspondent with the First Army says the Americans are fighting around Echternach, although the enemy thrust through Consdorf has made further gains. General Hodge's northern shoulder in the Stavelot sector has stiffened and met numerous coun-ter-attacks. German paratroopers landed here have joined up with the armour. American tank-destroyers to-day smashed the attempts of German armour to rescue elements of their forces, including 60 tanks, trapped near Stavelot. The Americans destroyed about 30 tanks and reduced large forces af panzer infantry. This force of Germans became trapped when it tried to oull back through Stavelot, but the Americans sealed the route by blowing up the only bridge over the river. The Germans are still trying to swim across the river in an effort to establish a bridgehead, but the Americans are shooting them in the water. Some Germans disguished as Allied soldiers have already infiltrated into France, states the Paris radio to-night broadcasting a warding to the people. “Groups of Germans in British and American uniforms and possessing Allied identity cards have penetrated the lines and reached the rear areas. They have British and American vehicles marked with British and American signs. Their task is the sabotage of vital installations. The French population must report the presence nf these groups Immediately to the police.” Reuter’s correspondent at the 21st Army Group Headquarters says it is definitely established that some German assault troops who made the initial penetrations wore British and American uniforms and carried Allied weapons.

No Improvement Grey skies again greeted the Americans this morning as they anxiously awaited the air support which would equalise their duel against the enemy giant 88-ton tanks in the enemy’s offensive on the Western front.

An American broadcaster with the First Army said: "The situation has not improved, although at various points along the line of the German break-through we have stopped sqme of the German spearheads. The Germans have not lessened the strength of their attacks. They are throwing in all they have. All the Information coming in proves that this is the big attack. The Germans in places have changed the direction of their attacks to flow around our strongpoints, and their main spearhead is still dangerous.” Security prevents pinpointing the deepest penetration by the enemy, but it is no longer secret that the most potent threat has developed in the area west and south of St. Vith, says the correspondent of the Associated Press with the First Army. Von Rundstedt’s drive has a far wider scope than merely boosting home morale. Due east of Butgenback, panzers are still out in strength, operating in groups of 20 or 30, and there are reports this morning of fresh massings of enemy armour and infantry for new attacks against key objectives. An American broadcast from France said: “The Germans have made so much progress that it is clear that the term ‘break-through’ is the proper way to describe the attack. Our own military commanders admit that this is an all-out German counter-offensive.” Main Blow Awaited Although they report several encouraging developments in our countermeasures to the German offensive in Belgium and Luxembourg, frontline correspondents emphasise that the situation is still serious as the enemy’s main blow has apparently yet to come. The Americans have recaptured Stavelot and are engaged in a fierce battle to retake Malmedy, which the Germans captured. Reuter’s correspondent with the First Army reports that the Americans before dawn to-day destroyed an entire German tank infantry force that was attacking their lines at the northern shoulder of the offensive front. The Americans still held Malmedy this morning (apparently it was captured by the Germans later in the day). An American patrol succeeded in recrossing a small river south of Stavelot, but further south 25 German tanks and halftracks broke through an American roadblock in Luxembourg. The American broadcaster in Belgium reported to-day that the Germans have launched 11 new attacks southwest of St. Vith in the last 12 hours. Their advance continues. “Enemy tanks and infantry are showing up in areas not thought of last night,” is was officially stated at First Army headquarters to-day. “Von Rundstedt’s offensive is not likely to be halted this week as our counter measures take time.” Prisoners say that the German offensive is aimed as giving the German nation Aachen as a Christmas present. A Diversion A sudden lunge by forces of the Seventh Army into the first belt of pillboxes, dragon’s teeth, and anti-tank traps of the Siegfried defences caused the Germans to rush concentrations of self-propelled guns to the threatened area, says Reuter’s correspondent at

the Sixth Army group headquarters. The Americans to-day were engaged in very bitter fighting in the Bundenthal area, where they are using some of the German defences as protection against furious shelling. The correspondent of the Associated Press with the Third Army reports that the Americans have driven the last Germans from Dillingen. Activity elsewhere on this front is on a minor scale;

Many of the German divisions we are now fighting were previously beaten up in the battle of Normandy, says an American broadcaster with the First Army. In recent months they have been training, getting new men and equipment and they have not only been re-established, but some divisions which were the backbone of the enemy’s offensive in Normandy have been re-established in full strength. It is a long time since a German division with a full complement of men, guns and vehicles has appeared on any battlefield. The Germans also realise that this is the big attack and are fighting furiously. In pockets we are now beginning to clear, for example, B.S. men fought literally to the death. We found at one strongpoint they defended 30 German corpses and not a single live German. A correspondent with the United States First Army, writing to-day, reports that through amazing good luck and its heroic exploitation, the enemy’s forward drive in the north was halted, but in South-east Belgium and Northwest Luxembourg the situation appears to have become worse. Enemy tanks are running wild. The offensive which, within a few hours, developed into a major break-through, started from about 10 miles south of Monschau. Until it was halted, late on Wednesday, the drive had been rolling west at a highly-dangerous pace. American infantry were unable to stem the surging tide of S.S. troops and a large part of the entire panzer army which had been assembled and equipped for this battle.

Pincers Blunted The correspondent cannot disclose what the stroke of good fortune was, but adds that the credit must also go to troops who were rushed in to halt the enemy drive. The big steel pincers which the Germans clamped' across well inside the Belgian border in a direct westerly line were blunted three days after they began to reach out. Some enemy forces were halted at the village of Stomont, five miles west of Stavelot. Unable to exploit the position the Germans concentrated on strengthening and widening the northern flank of their salient. In South-east Belgium and Northwest Luxembourg, says the correspondent, fighting is very confused, and one report often cancels out another. Enemy tanks are chasing acrosscountry, appearing unexpectedly in various places, and it is impossible to Indicate the line. His consolidated gains are probably up to 16 miles into Luxembourg and Belgium, but groups have penetrated far deeper. St. Vith is threatened, but American infantry are Still fighting there. The German alm appears to be the communications leading to the Allied offensive fronts round Aachen and the Saar Valley, also communications linking those two sectors. Thus the battle is likely to rage over a very wide area of the Ardennes, embracing the whole of South-eastern Belgium and much of Luxembourg. In some parts of the break-through area itself the Allied line apparently holds firm, even though completely outflanked. This seems to be the case round St. Vith. The Allied situation on both flanks is reported to have Improved. Much now depends on the speed with which Allied reinforcements can reach the battleground in sufficient strength to halt the German advance and break up the advancing columns. Clearly the main battle has not yet been joined. The German News Agency’s military commentator, Captain Sertorius, says that the Allies are attacking the flanks of the German penetration in the area from Aachen and from Northern Lorraine, where the left wing of General Patton’s Third Army has been hurriedly thrust against the tip of Luxembourg,” but the Germans are sweeping on on a broad front toward the Meuse. When Fog Lifts A broad assessment of von Rundstedt’s offensive gives a picture of spoiling tactics which, for all the damage they may Inflict on the Allied supply system, may well end in disaster for the enemy, says the correspondent of “The Times” at Supreme Allied Headquarters. The fog will not last forever and when it lifts—quite apart from the field commanders’ plans to fight a battle—the onslaught of our tactical air squadrons should be as decisive as during the not dissimilar days of anxiety in Normandy when the enemy tried to thrust through to Avraches. After repulsing several enemy coun-ter-attacks in the Monschau region the Americans again entered villages, in-

eluding Pocherath, nine miles southeast of Monschau. The situation in this sector seems to have been restored. General Eisenhower has issued an Order of the Day calling on the troops under his command to destroy the enemy who has come out of his fixed defences in a last gamble. “Rise now,” he says, “to new heights of resolution and courage and destroy him on the land and in the air.” First Army Recovering Mr Drew Middleton, correspondent of the “New York Times,” says there are encouraging signs that the First Army is recovering from its shock and surprise, but the situation is still grave. “I believe it will be Impossible to halt the offensive for another five or six days. Although American Infantry is rallying gallantly on the flanks of the enemy drive there is as yet little chance of smashing the nose of the salient driven deep into Luxembourg and Belgium.” The London correspondent of the “New York Sun” quotes a German report that General Eisenhower has thrown large tactical reserves against the German assault. The correspondent adds that this is the great Christmas news we have been awaiting. General Eisenhower has taken advantage of his superior mechanisation to transport troops to where they can do the most damage and has forced the enemy holding a strongly defensive line to leave it and come out into the open. The American First Army front, reported to be thinly held, was an invitation to von Rundstedt, who accepted the challenge because he needed a Christmas present for Hitler. There is no possibility of the Germans being in Paris for Christmas. That is just bait for Nazi soldiers.

Post-War Preferences A War Department survey shows that one of every eight American soldiers at home or abroad wants to operate a small business or farm after leaving the army. Under the legislation exservicemen may borrow up to 4000 dollars for a farm or business, the Government guaranteeing half.