PATTON’S FORCES CROSS RHINE 20,000 Germans Cut off

Highlander, Volume 1, Issue 3, 25 March 1945, Page 1

PATTON’S FORCES CROSS RHINE 20,000 Germans Cut off

Gen. Patton’s 3rd Army has crossed the Rhine without air or artillery preparation and has enlarged its bridgehead.

Some 20,000 scattered Germans have been left on the wrong side of the river as the result of the 3rd Army’s capture of their last escape route through Speyer.

On this front 100,000 Germans have been taken prisoner in the last 10 days.

There was a news black-out covering details of the operations of Field-Marshal Montgomery’s army group of U.K, and Canadian troops, and now it is announced : — Monty’s Army has crossed the Rhine at 3 points. ‘

Tremendous preparations went ahead rapidly and for several consecutive days massive air assaults have been made on the German forces on this sector. As the result of continued air attacks, communications betwen the Ruhr and Central Germany are paralysed. Our airmen have created devastation amidst which the German High Command is trying to assemble forces to meet the next land blow..

For over 30 consecutive nights now RAF mosquitoes have visited Berlin.

Oil refineries near the German capital have been visited by Flying Fortresses from Italy to complete their destruction.

Fd. Marshal Kesselring. German C. in C. in Italy, has replaced Rundstedt as German Field Commander in the West.