The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-07-25
New Allied Drive
Below Caen Opens
Continued from Page a.


Five hundred fighters escorted the
heayies. pOwer-diying Ia freetoT
level TO rake the Maxi positions.
The American planes laid an esti-
mated $500 tons OF explosives on the
Germans Immediately ahead OF the
U. s. troops in a close support as
sault oitweighiDg the bombardmeni
OF the Casino Notifications IN Italy
The u. s. Eighth and Ninth Air
Forces set out to "aneStheiize" the
ground defenses at 10 a. m. with a
torrent Of augmentation and light
weight explosives, used instead OF
heavier bombers IN order TO avoid
blowing up the battlefield and max
ing the Infantry advance difficult.
The All-American air assault con-
tinIed until 1880 p. m. BY then the
assault troops were battling forward
Coed Weather
With the weather good. despite q
slightly lower ceiling this afternoon.
II seemed certain that the overall
operations by the combined Allied
air fleet would make this one Of the
biggest days aloft since the invasion
OK Normandy.
The days fighting apparently was
confined to the two announced at-
tacl1. a headquarters spokesman
had no evidence 20 support reports
that fighting had flared up again in
the area Of Thoarn, seven miles east
Of caen.
The British attacked two hours be-
fore dawn and probably ran into
touch opposition, which the Ger
mans had had time TO prepare after
the fighting las. week.
They had two and a half miles TO
fight uphill, and the country favor
ed the defenders with small fields
divided by walls and hedges.
United Press Correspondent Rich
ard ID. Mcmillan said the German
gunners and infantry we're putting
up most desperate resistance 10 the
local attack. Some armored troops
told him they had never known the
enemy 10 fight SO stubbornly.
The troops crept through corn
fields weather In early morning
mist and through rolling wheat
fields. They took their first objec-
tiyes when the tanks rolled IN Of
dawn.
u watched the battle all morning.
and saw batteries Of self-propelled
guns battering down enemy resist
ance while the tanks crept forward
into smoking villages ahead" Me-
MILAN reported.
A special announcement from
American army headquarters IN
France said the LIST army was "ad-
vance against heavy resistance" but
gave no clue as 10 the scene Of the
attack. At last reports, the Amer.
leans had been massing for an adj
vance across the Wire River beloy
81, 10 and the Seyes River two
miles north Of Periers.
The attacks came as War Secre-
taTy Sir James Grigg was annoanc.
ing IN the House Of Commons that
Allied forces in Normandy probably
hRye killed 10000 Germans IN the
first seven weeks Of the invasion. W
to July 10, be said, the Allies had
captured $3.50 prisoners, Of which
under 5000 were nationals OF couD-
tries occupied or invaded by Ger
many since 1898.
The British and CANADIANS soft
ened the enemy line below Caen for
their attack With 0 series Of timed
artillery crashes IN which one Of
the greatest tonnages Of shells ever
dropped IN such 0 baTFage was
directed against number u enemy
mortar and artillery positions, sat-
uTating them.
Mitchell medium bombegs Of the
End Tactical Air Force Joined IN
the bombardmeDt by blasting Ger
man concentrations IN the La
Hogue Woods southeast Of Caep and
only 1000 yards ahead OF the Brit
lsb ground forces at dusk last night
and again Rt dawn,
British and Canadian troops vent
"oYeF the top from their foyholes
and SIT trenches on either side Of
the CaeD-Falaige highway near
BouTguebus, Eve miles southeast OF
Caen, Just before dawn while the
artillery baTTage was at IT'S height,
Covered by the creeping haTrage,
the infantry advanced slightly more
than 0 mile along front Of ut
Least three miles and began street
battles Tor ~. Martin De- FonteDay,
veTTieTes and Tilly'La Champagne,
Fierce Opposition
4 staff officer told war eoTespoTld'
enls TIM . "l0t " opposition, ~
elnding sTmoT," Was encountered,
Tank battles Were expected as the
lighting progressed.
a ground mist covered ne valley
rs the troops swung Into action, but
the skies were clearing after three
days Of rain that halted the orig
insI British bFeak-thFough from
csen three days $50, and strong elg
support was afiiieihated,
Enemy batteries offered only .
faabie resnolaea ~ tn early stages
e We aitneH eat resistance IN