The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-06-07

cessful in putting ashore the in
vasion forces and described the lack
Of enemy opposition to the actual
landings as amazing.
An American navy spokesman
said there had been no additional
naval casualties since President
Roosevelt announced yesterday that
two American destroyers and
landing craft were lost in the first
IL hours Of the landing.
The first troop casualties already
were streaming back across the
channel to Britain. A Red Cross
train, six coaches long, carried the
first wounded through East Anglia
to base hospitals during the night.
German news agency dispatches
said the Americans and British had
brought up considerable forces" by
ship and glider to beachhead
stretching from Caen, 20 miles
southwest of lie Havre, to the coast
al town off BayeuX, % miles to the
northwest and 48 miles southeast Of
Cherbourg.
Massed formations of German OPP
irrational reserves were concentrated
on the perimeter of the beachhead
during the night and now were at
lacking with terrific ferocity,"
transocean said. Prime Minister
Churchill said yesterday that the
Allies had penetrated Caen, nine
miles from the coast, but there had
been no late Allied report from the
town.
Another transocean dispatch said
six battleships, is cruisers and so
destroyers were supporting ground
forces attempting to widen the
beachhead.
The DNB Agency said two British
air-borne divisions were nearly an
nihilateS In hand-to-hand fighting
at Deauville, across the Seine es-
tuary from lie Havre, last night.
Four officers and 80 men were said
to have been captured.
South of Cherbourg, DND said,
an Anglo air-borne divi-
sion was 'tannihiliated to the last
man. Air-borne forces which land
ed on the Channel Islands of Guern-
sey and Jersey also were wiped out,
the Agency claimed.
Radio Berlin quoted the German
high command last night as saying
that great fresh enemy formations"
had approached the French coast
between Calais and Dunkerque, and
Algiers later reported that the Ger
mans had acknowledged the loss Of
an airdrome north Of Calais to Al
lied paratroops. However, there was
no confirmation of any landings ex-
cept in the Normandy area.
Eisenhower reported in his third
communique of the invasion that
the Allies continued to land troops,
guns, tanks and munitions through
out yesterday without opposition
from enemy naval forces. Three en-
envy torpedo boats with an escort of
armed trawlers had attempted to
intercept the invasion armada as it
approached the coast early Tuesday,
but 1t was driven off with one
trawler sunk and another damaged
severely, last nights communique
had reported.
"Air-borne operations were re-
sumed successfully last night" the
communique said without elabora-
ton.
The German Luftwaffe put in its
first appearance in strength late
yesterday under an order from
Reichmarshal Herman Goering to
halt the Allied penetration at all
cost.
Twenty-six of a formation which
attempted to interfere with Ameri-
can flying fortresses and Liberators
bombing railways communications
and bridges in the battle area were
shot down. -Four more out Of a
formation of IL Junkers 88s which
made an abortive attack on Allied
beachhead forces were destroyed.
Altogether, the Allied air forces
flew a record $4,000 sorties from
dawn yesterday to dawn today.
While bombers smashed at enemy
communications and other military
targets behind the battle area,
fighter bombers and fighters flew
low to blast and straffe motor truck
columns.
A constant air umbrella was main.
tanned successfully" over the Eng
lish Channel and over the assault
area, Eisenhower's communique said.
Air losses yesterday totalled one
heavy bomber and II fighters. Thir-
teen night bombers were lost. Night
intruders partly offset the loss by