British Cross Somme

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 54, 1 September 1944, Page 5

British Cross Somme

AMIENS LIBERATED

LONDON, August 31. Bntisli armoured columns have made their greatest advance of the northern campaign; thfty have liberated the city of Amiens and formed a strong bridgehead across the Somme. This great British thrust, equal in weight, speed, and surprise to General Patton's drive beyond Paris, surged forward 60 miles in two days to reach the Somme, and covered the last 27 miles in little more than 12 hours in spite of heavy rain and roads thick with mud, This spectacular advance opens up a serious threat to $11 the Germans in the coastal area between the Belgian frontier and Le Havre.

General Pattern's American armoured columns to the east, still meeting light enemy resistance, have made further swift advances beyond-the Marne and the Aisne. One report tonight says that advanced elements of American armour have now reached a point about 70 miles from the Gferman frontier. . In southern Prance French troops of the Seventh Army have swept round the.French coast as far as Nai'bonne, 50 miles from the Spanish frontier. On the way they have liberated the big towns of Montpellier and Beziers.

Discussing the significance of tfye swift advance from'the Seine to t\\e Somme, correspondents at Supreme Headquarters point out that if the Germans try to hold on to the flyingboxnb bases in the Pas de Calais area which begins 15 miles north of Amiens, they will risk encirclement. If they . abandon the Pas de Calais it will be the end of the German people's last dream of victory. j The lower half of the coastal area, I the part between the Somme the | Marne, has already been practically en-r I circled by the big Allied push, enemy ! communications to the east have been*1 cut, and the Cferrna.ns now only have one escape route across the Somme at , Abbeville. At the bottom of this coastal belt Canadian forces have liberated Rouen and pushed nine miles northwards to cut the main road' to pieppe ; - and have also virtually isolated Le Havre. . ' A correspondent at Rouen,says that flags were flying and" excited crowds packed the streets as the Canadians poured through after the retreating Germans, He : s^ays that the town is not extensively damaged, , though ' the - cathedral has suffered rather severely Yesterday morning, he says, 11,000 patriots suddenly rose in the town and •set upon th,e Germans. Fierce fighting broke put in the streets, and when the Canadians began/ to enter "the town the enemy fled. vkA c? rr, e|,P.9n,<aent with a column that liberated Reims says the Germans pulled out a fight The cathedral has not been damaged. The Americans captured about 75 planes on the airfield, which, shows.the haste of the . uerman withdrawal. : ■ -Wh the great advance in southern France French troops have ibVered tffl™?** n ' ?n, d correspondents''af Mediterranean headquarters say they have metnp opposition. Other FreSch forces fanning out. north r west "of the Rhone Valley haye: occupied a town m p ore,th a n 20 miles west of MontS lier r: ■ American columns, chasing the