AT A GREAT RATE

Waikato Times, Volume 195, Issue 22492, 30 October 1944, Page 5

AT A GREAT RATE

WHOLE ALLIED FRONT MOVING FULL-SCALE GERMAN RETREAT (Received Oct. 30, 1 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 29 The whole Allied front in southwestern Holland is moving forward at a great rate towards the Maas river tonight, says Reuter’s correspondent at the 21st Army Group Headquarters. Americans are fighting trader the Canadian command in the Rozendaal sector, where the Germans are making their principal rearguard stand. Allied pilots reported that the roads west of the British Second Army front and north of the Canadian First Army front are “alive” with German transport, quaking a full-scale hut orderly withdrawal toward the bridge ferry crossings over the Holland! Schedlep and Maas rivers. The United Press correspondent says that while Poles cleared Breda British Second Army forces pushed within four miles of the Maas estuary on the road from Tilburg to Sprang. Spitfires all day strafed the roads north of Breda and Rozendaal. They encountered strong flak opposition. Link-up on Island The link-up between the two forces on South Beveland Island occurred in the area of Hoedekenskerke. Canadian forces from the mainland are pushing into the outskirts of Goes, which is the island’s chief communications centre. The German news agency stated that the floods of Walcheren are eight or nine feet deep. The island is almost completely inundated. The lower floors of houses in Middleburg and Domberg are under water. Reinforced German columns on General Dempsey’s east flank today violently attacked and overran the American-held Leissel and pushed along the road toward Asten, says the American Press correspondent. British guns and planes were sent to support the Americans, who yielded ground in the desolate water-logged area only after a bitter fight. The Germans so far have committed one panzer division of 50 tanks and self-propelled guns. They advanced two miles across the Deurne canal at the point of deepest penetration, but late today combined British and American fire appeared to be slowing the momentum of their attack. Refugee Centre Shelled The British United Press correspondent says that the German attack against the east flank turned out to be more than a diversionary move. It was evidently an attempt to form a buffer west of the Maas river against any future British thrust towards Germany.

German artillery today shelled Brand, three miles south-east of Aachen, where 2000 civilian refugees from Aachen are encamped, says Reuter’s correspondent with the United States First Army. The German gunners have had Brand under permanent observation, and must have known it is a refugee centre.