The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-08-07
CAPTURE TOWNS !. !.
DEEP IN FRANCE
Invasion Up To Its Time
table After Seven Weeks
of Hard Slogging
BY JAMES M. LONG
STTPREME HEAnOIIAp

SUPREME HEADQUAR-,
TERS ALLIED EXPEDI-
r1ONARY FORCE, Monday,
Aug. 7.-P)-American ar
nor and infantry, having ov-
errun the Brittany peninsu-
IA, roared eastward toward
Paris today in a full-force at,
tack which captured the
towns of Mayenne, Laval and
Chateau Gontier, 100 miles
inland from the embattled
peninsular port of Rrest.
The great new arc OF the UNI
checked assault was bullying into
the interior of France a full 50
miles west of Ssnnes and within
40 miles of Paris at a speed which
spokesman said, had brought the
invasion virtually up to its time
table after seven weeks of hard
slogging during vile weather in
Normandy.
Line Of Advance
The line of the American ad-
vance ran from Barentan through
Mayenne and towns along and
across the Mayenne river to with
in Is miles of Anglers, which is rs
miles up the Loire river.
Swift capture Of the towns was
being consolidated by infantry
which sped up in trucks as fast
as the armored spearheads shot
forward.
The whole American grip on and
around the slced-off Brittany
peninsula was regarded as firm.
The Americans were fighting
their way in the outlying streets
OF Brest, where on the approaches
OF by-passed st. Malo, had dug in
to the last crusts of resistance at
the suburbs of Lorient and St. Ma
zaire, and were thrusting down
the last Is m les toward Nantes
for the cleanup of those five most
important ports of Brittany.
The Germans were believed to
be putting up desperate backs-to-
the-sea resistance at those points
if nowhere else in the peninsula. /
Their first attempt at miniature
'Dunkerque" flight by sea was
smashed when the British and
Canadian warships sank all seven
ships of one German convoy at
to flee from St. Nazaire
and shelled second convoy back
into the isolated port. e--7'
American Gains
The Americans completed the
mop-up of La Glacilly, eight miles
north of Redon and "a miles north
of St. Nazaire, caSAred Gourin, A
miles southeast of Brest;f crushed
fierce German resistance south of
the St. Sever forest by capturing
St. Michel de Montjoi On their left
flank in Normandy, and enveloped (
LIE Grand, three and
miles north of Mayenne,
in broadening their eastward sal.
lent. IN
The British and Canadians adj
generally along their front
in Normandy between the Wire md
Aunay rivers, capturing St. Jean 4
-e Blanc and crossing the Orne
above Thury Harcourt and broad
ening their hold southwark about
wo miles from Vassy.
The Americans alone counted
heir total bag of prisoners since
he June 6 invasion at about $4,000,
# which 1900 have been taken
nee the offensive began July Is.
Four U. S. spearheads veered in
and toward Paris. Two pounded
IN from Mayenne and Laval, =
md AZ miles east of Rennes, and
another seized Chateau-Gontier. II
niles below Laval and only "a
niles north of the great communi.
cations center of Anglers. Still an
'ther spearhead battled ahead In
he Domfront sector 20 miles above
Aayenne and east of Avranches.
Lightning Advances
Vannes, center Of French Maouis
esistance in Brittany. Wire and
'ontivy fell in the mop-up OF the
peninsula swalled in less than 4
week of lightning advances.
British-Canadian assaults mean
While rolled the Germans eastern
lank back below Caen, hitting to
r beyond the Orne river along q
reak.ng 25-mile hinge of enemy.
ront r.