AMERICANS IN GERMANY

Waikato Times, Volume 195, Issue 22456, 18 September 1944, Page 3

AMERICANS IN GERMANY

PENETRATION OF SIEGFRIED LINE FIGHTING IN OUTSKIRTS OF AACHEN ONLY 28 MILeTfROM COLOGNE LONDON, Sept. 17. American spearheads have penetrated the Siegfried Line in four places and taken up positions on the other side, 13 miles inside Germany. The line is not necessarily smashed; the breaches have yet to be widened and made secure. A communique states that strong elements of the American First Army have broken through the Siegfried defences around Aachen against heavy opposition. This communique is the first official notification that the penetrations have reached the proportions of a break-through. The town of Aachen is nearly surrounded. The line was breached 24 hours after the breaking of the first line of defences. Today’s communique from Supreme Headquarters describes the penetrations as strong. The breach was made by troops who crossed the frontier south of Aachen and advanced to the east of that city. This part of the West Wall is known to be one of its strongest buttresses. The Germans may have sufficient reserves to make a counter-offensive with the object qf sealing off the spearheads which have broken through. This deep penetration has brought the Allied troops 28 miles from Cologne. Correspondents say that large reinforcements are being rushed forward toward the Reich. Other American forces have penetrated the line at three new points—one south of Aachen and two further south close to the German town of Prum. These penetrations are narrow and the Americans are meeting very heavy German resistance, but they are gradually forcing their way through. At Aachen itself American patrols reached the centre of the town before they were withdrawn to the outskirts.

BRITISH SMASH OUT ADVANCE INTO HOLLAND PERFECT WEATHER CONDITIONS (Received Sept. 18, 1 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 17 While Allied airborne forces are dropping into Holland the British Second Army today launched an attack into Holland from the bridgehead over the Escaut Canal, states the Exchange Telegraph’s correspondent with the British Second Army. Reuter’s correspondent in a later despatch reported that the Britisn smashed out from the Berengen bridgehead and advanced two miles into Holland. The operation is going entirely according to plan under perfect weather conditions. It had been impossible during the last few days to hide the fact that some major attack was pending. Reinforcements of men and tanks have been pouring through Brussels in a continuous stream. The Exchange Telegraph says that rocket-firing Typhoons and fighter bombers smashed down on the German defences as British tanks went speeding into Holland, with carrierborne infantry following up, ready to deal with German strongpoints. A heavy Allied artillery barrage preceded the attack. The rate of fire was slow at the beginning but quickened up in the last fifteen minutes, blotting out the countryside with a curtain of smoke and dust as the tanks moved in. A strong force of Bomber Command Lancasters in daylight on the evening of September 17 dropped nearly 700 tons of bombs in a concentrated attack on important gun positions and the German garrison in Walcheren, an isle at the mouth of the Scheldt. The weather was clear and the target visually identified. DUTCH TOWNS CLEARED ALLIED TROOPS ESTABLISHED PUNCHING WAY THROUGH (Received Sept. 18, 1 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 17. A Combined Press representative with the airborne forces somewhere in Holland states: By tonight the enemy had been cleared from several Dutch towns and the British and American troops were established. Immediately after the Allied announcement of the airborne landings in Holland the German-controlled Hilversum radio stated: “ Fighting on the river Gheel, which is behind the airborne forces, has reached a new pitch of intensity. The Americans attacked heavily in the Valkenburg area. The Allies are concentrating against a narrow front, in order to punch their way through the German lines.” The German News Agency says: Allied paratroopers and airborne formations continue to land on Dutch territory. We are counter-attacking. REGENT IN BELGIUM CHOICE BY PARLIAMENT (Received Sept. 18, 11.30 a.m.) BRUSSELS, Sept. 17 The radio stated that both Houses of the Belgian Parliament will meet on September 20, to choose a Regent, who is expected to take the oath on September 21.

LIBERATION OF BREST 16,000 PRISONERS TAKEN (Received Sept. 18, 1 pjn.) LONDON, Sept. 17 Brest has been liberated, according: to the Paris radio night. The radio added that Americans took 16,000 prisoners in Brest and discovered about 1000 German bodies. The Berlin radio states that American infantry and tanks operated inside the western and eastern districts of Brest after hundreds of British and American planes had again bombed the fortifications. IN THE SIEGFRIED LINE GERMANS’ DESPERATE ATTACKS CRACK RESERVE DIVISIONS (Received Sept. 18, 1 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 17 The-Germans are strongly counterattacking in the American held section of the Siegfried Line in the St. Olberg area, five miles south-east of Aachen, states a British United Press correspondent in a despatch timed 9 p.m. on September 17. Desperately attempting to save their West Wall, the Germans have thrown in crack reserve divisions, strongly supported by the Luftwaffe. Thirty German fighter bombers simultaneously attacked our position on September 17 when the Germans counter-attacked all day. Despite the enemy pressure our positions are unaltered. The German High Command apparently is using all the available strength, hoping to seal off this vital breach. The Americans, who had been awaiting a possible German counter-attack ever since they established themselves in the Siegfried Line, are manning positions in the line against the Germans with artillery and anti-tank guns, also multibarrelled weapons. First Army troops who fought their way across the Meuse at Maestricht are now encountering hard-fighting paratroopers, also a number of German homeguard battalions, all of which are offering strong resistance. Meanwhile a small army of German civilians and conscripts are digging for all they are worth between the Rhine and the Siegfried Line. TREACHERY, OF GERMANS MISUSES OF WHITE FLAGS TOWN BURNED IN RETALIATION (Received Sept. 18, *1 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 17 Americans razed Wallendorf, a small German town, in retaliation for being fired on after white flags and many Allied flags had been flown. The American radio in Europe announced this tonight when an account was given of the “Allied determination to stamp out war crimes and criminals.” The radio said every building in Wallendorf displayed a white flag when the Americans entered. Then shots were fired and several soldiers fell with their bodies riddled with bullets. Sharp orders were given by the commanding officer and rapidly carried out. Not a single house was spared. The whole town was burnt to the ground.