ROADS CONGESTED

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVII, Issue 23111, 27 January 1945, Page 5

ROADS CONGESTED

Germans Withdrawing In West Reasons Discussed By Telegraph—N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright (7.30 p.m.) LONDON, Jan. 25. All reports from the Western Front indicate that the Germans are hastily withdrawing toward the interior of the Reich. The correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph,” Mr Christopher Buckley, says: “From the congestion on the roads, the speed at which convoys are travelling, and the fact that all attempts to limit movement to the hours of darkness have been given up, and it is reasonable to suppose that they are being rushed back to be re-equipped in haste and hurled into the battle against the Russians.” Mr Buckley adds that while the roads to the East from the Ardennes are still choked with the transport of the retreating Sixth Panzer Army, the railway system of North-west Germany is being strained to cope with the eastward flow.

Mr Bucklay says that the R.A.F. is pounding the railways, and the Germans are realising that the protection of the skies above the railway routes through Westphalia is all important, and they are concentrating the Luftwaffe there and, contrary to their customary tactics, they are definitely seeking battle, and are having far the Worst of the exchanges. The correspondent of the “Manchester Guardian” takes the view that it is barely possible that these very costly moves are -being made simply to give German armour a refit, but he thinks it very unlikely, since refitting is a long job on which it is not worth wasting a score or so of vehicles to save a few hours, or even days, in the process. It is possible, though not so probable, that these German forces are

bound for the south to reinforce the successes in the Saar-Strasbourg area, but risks are being taken out of all proportion to the result that might accrue. Therefore it seems that the urgency of these moves is dictated by the Russian situation. Nevertheless, the switching of forces from West to East is not going to be an easy matter, and more important than this consideration is the desperate necessity to protect the Ruhr Basin, and to a lesser extent, the Saar, now that Silesia, where a great part of the German industrial effort was transferred from the Ruhr under the impulsion of R.A.F. bombing, is menaced by the new Russian advance. Importance of the Ruhr “It is upon the Ruhr that the Germans must now look more than ever for the successful functioning of underground oil refineries,” says the correspondent. “It was to gain time to put these in full operation that the Ardennes offensive was partly designed.” The correspondent adds that the journey south of German formations in Norway would make fascinating reading if it could be told. Many of them were chased out of Finland by the Russians. They made their way down the coast of Norway, harassed on land by Norwegian patriots and on sea by British and Norwegian destroyers, light coastal forces and submarines. Once across from Oslo they went on through the wrecked cities of the North-western Reich. Sometimes whole divisions moved by bicycle and reached the battlefronts of Central Europe in time to partake of great German defeats. He says that with recent changes in dispositions, the present strength of the German armies is approximately: Eastern Front, 150 to 160 divisions; Western Front, 80 divisions; Italian Front, 30 divisions; Scandinavia, 20 divisions; with between 10 and 20 refitting. “The comparatively high figure for the Italian Front, which is probably greater now than it has ever been, is an indication of the immense importance the Germans attach to the North Italian plains as a source of food supply.’’