FINAL ASSAULT BEGUN

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 230, 26 June 1944, Page 5

FINAL ASSAULT BEGUN

Progress Described As Breath-taking

LONDON, June 25. American troops on the outskirts of Cherbourg have begun their final assault on the port, according to a communique from supreme headquarters. Rapid inroads are being made in the final defences against stubborn opposition. What may prove to be the crucial attack is being made in the centre, where American troopshave a substantial grip on a spur of high ground which is a key point in the main defences. It may mean that Cherbourg will betaken with as little damage as possible. The Germans are reporting to be blowing up dock facilities. A correspondent at Allied headquarter!) describes the Allied progress as “breathtaking.” On the British-Canadian sector, theri has been more hard fighting with tanks and infantry. Caen, a correspondent says is now np more than a heap of rubble. There have been attacks at close quarters, the Allied troops using handgrenades and bayonets. On the beaches, unloading is proceedEisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander, has sent his warmest congratulations to the French patriots, whose activities, he says, have contributed directly to the success of the Allied campaign in Normandy. STRONGPOINTS FORGED German Admission '(Received June 25, 10.30 p.m.) LONDON, June 25. The German news agency says that German troops who are facing a terrific onslaught on the Cherbourg Peninsula, are slowly yielding ground and falling back'on the city’s fortified belt. The first enemy assaults have begun against this belt. They were accompanied by uninterrupted naval shelling and aerial assault. All available German forces. in Cherbourg are huddled inside the city. German strongpoints in the outskirts of Cherbourg were forced by overwhelming American heavy artillery fire. Enemy forces fighting the battle for Cherbourg, the news agency added, comprise eight infantry divisions, powerful special purpose units, siege guns, sapper and shock detachments. Berlin radio broadcast the following description of Cherbourg from a German correspondent in the town: — Cherbourg is a dead city. The majority of the population have now left. Powerful Allied bomber formations are attacking incessantly, while naval guns are heavily shelling the .port and the coast.” The German news agency’s commentator, Hallenslebeii, said: “General Montgomery is undoubtedly about to win his first invasion laurels, because the Americans are launching a full-fledged attack against Cherbourg with powerful divisions, mighty naval artillery, and numerous planes.” TANKS AS VICTIMS Deadly Rocket-firing Typhoons (British Official Wireless.) (Received June 25, 9.30 p.m.) RUGBY, June 24. The enemy in France has not found a counter to the vicious swoops of our rocket typhoons, and is forced to leave to the German Army the task of protecting its armour by flak and camouflage, says a correspondent. Here in brief, he says, is the record of just one Normandy airfield on Friday—2o out of 25 tanks destroyed by eight Typhoons firing rockets in the Cuverville district, east of Caen, six German fighters destroyed and six’ damaged. t On the other side of the account, the enemy can point to greater fire-power; from anti-aircraft batteries, which are; claiming victims among home-based tomb-j ers which continue to pound targets in. France. The Luftwaffe has now been able to build up a fairly powerful force, but its efforts seem almost wholly concen-l tratc-d into-the hours of darkness. Bombs have been dropped on the beaches, but the work of unloading supplies and reinforcements has gone on, and by the morning motor transport has been well oil the way to the front line. The correspondent adds: “Germany has so pinned her faith on flak —which, formidable as it is. has failed to stop our raids—that the Luftwaffe has suffered in consequence.” FRENCH PARTISANS Important Railways Damaged (British Official Wireless.) (Received June 25, 9 p.m.) RUGBY, June 24. It is stated that two important French railway lines leading from Belfort near the frontiers of .Switzerland and Germany to Paris in the west and Besancon in the south respectively, are still interrupted as the result of the operations of French partisans. . Geissler, chief of the Gestapo in southern France, was executed by patriots at Murat, in the Department of Cantal. according to authorized French circles in London. He had been in charge of liaison between the secret services of Germany and the Vichv Government. He established the first Gestapo headquarters in Vichy. Recently he organized large-scale repressive measures in central France and the Cote d’Azur.

NAZI CONVOY MAULED

(Received June 25. S p.m.) RUGBY, June 24. A convoy of seven small merchantmen attempting to break out of Cherbourg was intercepted by coastal forces, two of them were destroyed and three otners damaged. The remnants (ook refuge at Alderney.

“FLYING OVER VOLCANO” (British Official Wireless.) (Received June 25. 9 p.m.) ■ RUGBY, June 24. Of the general air war situation..in France, one squadron commander said: "Flying over there, gives one the impression of flying over zi volcano which may burst into life at any moment. The Jerries are doing everything they can to move up troops and supplies, and on our side there are already unbelievable masses of men «nd.«udDßߣA!r”