Evening star., 1944-08-29
Yanks Storm
Into N onte|inldr
In South France
Foe Virtually Cleared
From Rhone Valley
Below Latest Prize
BY the Associated Press.

ROME, Aug. 29.-American
troops have driven into Monte
limar, on the Rhone 100 miles
above Marseille. Except for
Isolated pockets of resistance,
the enemy now has been cleared
from the Rhone Valley south of
Montelimar," Allied headquar-
ters announced tonight.
United States troops and tanks
OF the American 7th Army are locked
in battle with fleeing Nazis in the
area OF Sauzet, miles northeast
OF Montelimar. The latter town is
being mopped up. An American
column had reached the Rhone
north OF Montelimar in a surprise
thrust last week.
French forces sweeping westward
of the lower Rhone reached Uzes
and drove through Mines TODAY
One column thrust on southwest
toward the French-Spanish border
Other French units pushed out west
and northwest of Avignon, As miles
below Montelimar.
Toulon Base DESTROYED.
Air force headquarters declared
the great naval base of Toulon had
been destroyed by Allied bombing
and German demolitions before the
garrison surrendered.
Wreckage of scores of ships dots
the harbor, including two French
cruisers used as German barracks
and bombed by Allied planes. Sub
marine pens were wiped out, either
by demolitions or bombardment
and at least 10 submarines were
sunk at anchor"
The flying column under the COM
mand Of Brig. Gen. Frederick Butler
which reached the Montelimar area
Friday, after inflicting wholesale
punishment on at least one force of
$4,000 German troops. killing many
and possibly knocking out the re-
mainder, continued to spread out
through the entire region.
Yanks Drive Into Cagnes.
Reports from there said roads
were strewn with destroyed Ger
man transport and other vehicles.
American forces on the eastern
coastal flank late yesterday drove
into Cagnes, 10 miles northeast
of Cannes, and Vence, miles in
land due north of Cagnes-ad-
vances which placed them miles
from Nice and only 20 miles from
the Italian frontier.
Thousands of German troops fell
into Allied hands with the sur
render of the final holdout enemy
resistance in Marseille. The full
liberation Of Marseille and Toulon
gives the Allies adequate port facil-
tiles for any operations necessary,
not only for the military campaign.
but for rehabilitation of the lib
Grated areas.
Surrender OF forts on the St.
Mandrier Peninsula in the Toulon
area brought an end to fighting in
the coastal area.
The surrender was arranged
through 1t. Gen. Gotthold Schaefer
commanding the German oath Di-
vision and supreme Nan commander
in the Marseille region.
Coastal Batteries Bombarded.
The surrender of the St. Mandrier
garrison came after the enemy
coastal batteries were heavily bonn
barded by French, British and
American naval vessels-including
the French battleship Lorraine and
the British battleship Families.
Other elements of the fleet pene-
trated into the Gulf of Genoa, sink
ing one enemy vessel and possibly
sinking another.
Even while the last sporadic bursts
of fire were sweeping the streets OF
the ports of Southern France, Allied
supplied food, drugs and medicinal
supplies were being hurried into the
area and distributed among the
French natives.
The first shipments contained
flour. Meat and sugar followed.