Evening star., 1944-08-25
Attack Begun on
Nuzis Remuinino
Inside MurseiIle
BY the Associated Press.

troops Of the 7th Army have
seized the resort of Cannes on
the French Riviera and the
nearby inland town of Grasse,
extending the hold on Southern
France toward the Italian from
tier, Allied headquarters an
nounced today.
Another American column, smash
ing westward from Salon, north
west of Marseille, was reported
within 8 miles of Aries and the
Lower Rhone River, in the drive
on that vital natural highway for
juncture with Allied armies in
Northern France.
GA communique from head
quarters of the French Forces of
the interior in London said FIJI
troops entered Lyon yesterday.
The Algiers radio yesterday said
Lyon, Frances third largest city,
had fallen to the FrenchJ
A dispatch from Marseille said the
Allies launched smashing attack
on the four remaining strong points
in the city today after capturing two
German generals and 5000 prisoners
in that area in the last 70 hours.
Preceding the attack, a heavy ar
tillery attack was made on Notre
Dame de la Garde, a commanding
hill in the aristocratic southwest Sec
tion OF Marseille, crowned by a fort
and the, cathedral. German head
quarters was in that area, which
projects westward into the bay and
forms protection for the harbor.
One front line report said shells hit
the dome and nave of the cathedral.
1t. Gen. Alexander M. Patch,s
said nothing of gains
by American troops striking north
of Grenoble. Geneva dispatches
said the troops had reached the
Swiss frontier, about 10 airline miles
north of Grenoble.
No Reports Of Grenoble Sector.
The force which captured Gre
noble after a spectacular advance
northward from Draguignan was
a flying column, including some
armor operating in advance of the
main body of the American troops,
which subsequently has firmly oc-
cupied the area with the cooper
alton of the French forces Of the
interior" was the only Official COM
ment today on the activities Of
that swiftly striking force.
In Toulon French troops drew a
ring of steel tighter around the
desperate Germans entrenched in
the naval port and the nearby
coastal area. The French troops
occupied the land arsenal within the
city as we'll as the suburban town Of
Ollioules to the northwest. The
enemy's stiffest resistance was
around the naval arsenal in the
harbor and on the two peninsulas
which almost handbook the harbor to
the southwest and southeast.
10000 Prisoners.
About 10000 prisoners already
have passed through the pens
established on the beachheads, and
hundreds Klore continued to march
back from the rapidly expanding
front while hard-striking American
and French troops wiped out small
enemy units as fast as they were
encountered.
Capture of Cannes in smile
advance at the eastern end of the
beachhead was the first offensive
movement toward the Italian from
tier reported in recent days. It
came after bombardment of enemy
coastal batteries in that vicinity by
Allied warships.
The Germans reported several
days ago they had destroyed the
harbor installations at Cannes.
Nazi fears that a full-scale at
tack might be launched eastward
along the Riviera was reflected in
air force reports of two panzer
divisions north of Turin apparently
ready to march to the danger area.
They were attacked heavily by
American medium bombers.
Allies Reticence.
The reticence of the Allied COM
mand regarding current activities
of the swift task forces operating
out of Grenoble and others thrust
ing northwest toward Avignon and
the vital Rhone Valley roads north
to Lyon, apparently was intended
to keep the enemy guessing about
the availability Of escape routes
from Southern France.
AS isolated enemy units were at
tempting to flee toward Germany
through the dwindling gap between
Gen. Eisenhower and Gen. Patch's
armies, advanced Allied forces were
expected to maintain radio silence
concerning their precise where
aboutS.
From the activities of Allied Air
Forces in recent days it is evident
that Nazi troops from Southeastern
France still are trying to run the
gauntlet north through the Rhone
Valley before the armies effect a
junction. Fighter bombers have
(See SOUTHERN FRANCE, A-2J