Evening star., 1944-07-16
Invasion
Continued From First Page.)
of the Orne River are expected tt
begin forthwith"

of the Orne River are expected to
begin forthwith"
British Building Up Strength.
British and Canadian troops were
building up their strength for
showdown battle around the
wrecked city of Caen at the east
ern end of the Normandy front.
The British in their salient across
the Odon River southwest of Caen
again had seized Maltot. 4 miles be-
low Caen, and also the nearby stra-
tegic Hill ll2, or Crucifix Hill. Both
points had changed hands several
times.
Gen. Montgomery was jockeying
for position before again trying to
break into open country in this
sector 120 miles west of Paris.
After taking the Lessay Harbor
village of st. Germain-Sur- -Ay on
Friday, the Americans pushed on
two miles and reached the Ay River.
The Germans had flooded the valley
in their retreat, but the Americans
now held commanding high ground
and were laying down a close-range
fire on the roads leading into Les
say from Coutances, IL miles to the
south.
Taking Pissot, two miles east of
Lessay, other American units were
only about a mile from the Lessay-
Periers-St. Lo road, the main Ger
man defense line which is crum-
bling.
Capture Of Lessay probably would
force the Germans back from five
to 10 miles into the high ground
between that road and the ST. Lo-
Countances highway and give the
Americans greater elbow room by
clearing the enemy out of the neck
OF the Cherbourg Peninsula.
Rommel Moving Up Supplies.
These are tougher troops than
those on the beaches" an Ameri-
can officer warned in a dispatch
from the field. The Germans. it
was disclosed at headquarters, had
II or II divisions facing the Ameri-
cans on a 48mile front, and an
overall strength of 20 to 25 divisions
IN Normandy compared to the seven
which were on guard there on
D-Day, June 6.
Field reports also said the Ger
mans were using their artillery
heavily at st. Lo, indicating that
Marshal Erwin Rommel had man
aged to get ammunition supplies
up to the front in sizeable ouanti-
ties despite the peril of Allied air
might, The weather still was
plaguing Allied chiettains, low clouds
and fog drastically curtailing the
activities of that valuable offensive
army. Operations hit an all-time
low during the day, barely so sor-
ties being flown by evening.
The Germans were expected to
light to the last in defense of st. Lo.
"a seven-way road junction whose
fall would force the enemy back
20 miles to Wire for a comparable
communications center.
Striking south of the broad
marshes between Carenthan and
La Haye du Puts the Americans
made their best gains during the
day in the sector just above Periers
after troops on both sides of the
marshes had linked up.
NaZis Use Tankmen in Infantry,
Among the hamlets taken during
the dow Dnf
212 miles northwest of Periers.
A 9-mile highway links Periers
with Countances to the south.
The Germans in this weakened
sector were putting tank men into
the line as infantrymen, dispatches
said. Other imprivisations denot-
ing lack of Nazi offensive strength
IN this area were reported, such as
hlt-and-run tactics by mobile ar
tillery and dug-in tanks.
German broadcasts acknowledged
"dlsengaging movements" and a
planned withdrawal" in the Les
say sector and near Periers. but
were putting up a very stubborn
defense of St. Lo.
Elite parachute troops were de-
tending St. Lo, backed by mobile
75s and 88s which fired on the
ridge roads used by the advancing
Americans southeast of the city. |
Long-range German artillery fire
also was being hurled at the
Americans from south of st. Lo.
Although American field officers
stressed the doggedness of the Ger
man defense on the entire front.
they also said of the Americans
they still are going forward"
Field reports also said there were
increasing daily signs of battle at
triton developing in the thinning
but fanatical ranks Of the Germans
on the American front. Captive
Germans were quoted as saying that
only handful" of their original
companies were left in fighting
shape.
Four Birthdnve Tonothor