Evening star., 1944-10-14
Importan+ Jap Base on Formosa
Is Target in Largest BIO Raid;
Yanks Push Deeper Into Aachen
Germans Thwurted
In Attempts to
Send In Troops
Pictures and Map on Page A-3.)

fPictures and Map on Page As
BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, Oct. 14.-American
troops. driving out Germans
with fire and explosives, pressed
deeper into Aachen today in a
house toulouse battle against
strengthening resistance, and
guns and planes again thwarted
Nazi attempts to reinforce the
besieged garrison.
The Aachen escape gap now is
"as good as closed" an officer at the
front said.
But some German reinforcements
possibly had slipped into the burn
ing city, and front dispatch esti-
mated 1000 Germans were left
there. fighting back more desperate
ly now. In five days an American
division has taken 1000 prisoners.
The Berlin radio claimed 5000
Americans had been slain and A.
600 wounded or taken prisoner in
the battle for Aachen. Front line
reports from Allied sources, how
ever, said the United States 1st
Army had suffered only slight cas-
ualties and that enemy resistance
was collapsing under the assault.
Nazis Fight Bitterly in Holland.
In Holland the Germans fought
bitterly. Canadians blockading the
escape route for the enemy on zuid
Beveland and Walchern Islands in
the Northern Schelde Estuary were
forced on the defensive.
To the east in Holland, British
forces hacked out gain of more
than mile southeast of Overflow
in the sector above Aachen, but
progress was slow.
Doughboys using flame-throwers
grenades and machine guns ad-
vanced slowly but steadily in
Aachen. An attack on the northeast
had narrowed the lane from the
city. Field artillery and planes hit
repeatedly at German reinforce
ments trying to move in from the
east, and prevented any major
counteraftack to relieve Aachen.
Eighty-four German tanks had
been knocked out in 48 hours
through yesterday.
Germans in Aachen had to be
squeezed from pillboxes and dug
from wells and cellars of ruined
houses.
Fighting Grows More Intense.
Four miles north of Aachen, tank
reinforced Germans threw in
stronger pressure, but several coun-
terattacks were dispersed by Allied
planes and artillery. Doughboys in
this sector between Aachen and
Bardenberg moved forward slowly
against stubborn defenses including
mobile guns and tanks.
Southeast of Aachen, the Allied
communique reported progress near
Germeter, II miles from Aachen
and l mile southwest of Hurtgen
Town, to regain ground lost earlier
% a strong enemy counterassault.
In Holland the Germans brought
up assault guns and tanks below
Bergen op Zoom in an apparent
all-out attempt to rescue forces
trapped on the Schelde Estuary
Islands. Fighting rose in intensity
and Canadians holding the spit OF
land running to t. islands lost
the initiative at least temporarily
Troops that landed on the south
bank of the Schelde River, mean
while, hit south another 2O0o yards
more than mile, and now were
only 1000 yards from joining other
Canadians holding bridgehead
over the Leopold Canal.
Yanks Gain in France,
Americans in France gained
ground in the Moselotte River bend
southeast of Epinal despite heavy
resistance, and struck over rugged
terrain to near Cornimont, % miles
from Epinal, the headquarters bull
letin said.
Pressure was maintained from
three sides on the town of LIE Thil-
lot, Is miles above Belfort. Else
where in the Vosges foothills there
was vigorous patrolling" and ar
tillery fire, the communique added
CA British broadcast heard by
owl said Germans in the French
ports of La Rochelle, La Palisse,
st. Nazaire and Royan were being
supplied by air. 1t estimated the
number of troops in these ports
at 60,0OO.)
Allied fighters and fghterbombers
ranged the whole northern end of
the front in effective support of
ground troops.
Both sides were increasing pres
sure all along the eastern front, and
especially in the Aachen area.
Divebombing American Thunder
bolts and Lightnings paved the way
for the entry of 1t. Gen. Courtney
H. Hodges infantry into the German
IFontlef city yesterday.
German Attack Repulsed.
A reckless attempt by the Ger
mans to push q force through q
half-mile wide gap in Gen. Hodges
lines surrounding the city was ripped
apart by American bombs and shells
near Wurselen, 8 miles north of
Aachen. The German force at
tempting to relieve the Nazis inside
Aachen was driven back before 1t
reached the American infantry out
posts.
One German tank division was
being rushed from the Arnhem
sector In the Netherlands to join
the battle.
Midway between Aachen and
Arnhem British infantry and Amer
ican tanks drove forward more than
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