The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-06-10
Capture Isigny, Link Beachheads On Front Of Nearly 60 Miles
BY VIRGIL PINKLEY

United Press War Correspondent
 Allied Supreme Headquar- ters, London, June 10. (UP) Allied invasion armies in Normandy have linked tn cir beachheads along a front of nearly SO miles, captured the coastal stronghold of Isigny and are ! fighting within IT miles of Cherbourg, it was revealed today.
 American tanks and infan- try made a dramatic junction with the British on their left flank west of Bayeux yester- day while another American column to the northwest was battling it's way along the main coastal highway from Ste. Mere-Eglise toward Cher bourg, 30 miles distant.
 Lsigny lies halfway between Bayeux and Ste. Mere -Eglise, and is the junction of the coastal high way and several secondary roads. By seizing it, the Americans frightened | their siege arc around Carentan, six miles to the west and the hinge of the Germans crumbling de- lenses. The German radio said the Americans had launched major attack in the Carentan area. British and Canadian forces. steadily expanding their hold on the eastern and central sectors of the bridgeheads, captured Ste. Croix, nearly seven miles southeast of Bayeux on the highway to Caen, and drove nearly two miles south of the highway to the vicinity of Conde-sur-Seulles, four miles south east of Bayeux.
 Resistance Mounts
 Despite the steady Allied gains. however. German resistance was mounting and Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower reported in his ninth communique of the invasion at II a. m. 6 a. m. E.W.T.) today that continuous fighting. was ragii1f in many sectors.
 German Janzers and infantry probed constantly into the Allied lines. The communique said British and Canadian forces on the ap- proach to Caen. the enemy's prin- cipal stronghold. repulsed heavy enemy Panzer and infantry coun- ter-attacks early yesterday, but | front dispatches disclosed that enemy tanks temporarily wedged into the Canadians outer lines.
 British Empire troops also made contact with strong enemy forces near Conde-sur -Seulles, il l-2 miles west of Caen, the communique said.
 Front dispatches sadi the Ger man 21st Panzer division was as- sembling in the Caen region, while the 18th SS Panzer division was moving into positions west of Bay eux and south of the Bayeux-Caen railway.
 American Thunderbolt fighter bomber pilots returning from Nor mandy told of miles-long German supply conveys clogging the roads leading to the battlefront from the south and east. One Thunderbolt formation left 6 10-mile trail Of blasted and smoking German trucks on a Normandy road.
 Gen. Sir Bernard L. Montgomery. commander of the Allied Expedi- tionary force, now is with his men l. rS.o,1aa arokIar x.,o- norpaevaaxad. /. ence revealed in an undated dis patch.
 The correspondent said the Al lied beachhead at that time was similar in size to the Anzio beach, head before it was extended" and contained 20 villages. hamlets and clusters of houses"
 Ten German divisions-poss 150,OO0 men-already have been identified in the btatleline and 1t was possible still others were sup porting the offensive. At least three of the divisions were armored units.
 Radio Berlin acknowledged that the Allies were pouring in reinforce u1cAlIS O1I DCdCAulCdOS aAA &AoAA8 N 50 to 60-mile front and estimated Allied strength at upwards of iS divisions, perhaps O.000 men. but claimed seven divisions had been annihilated in the early fighting.
 One Berlin broadcast trunpeted that the battle for Cherbourg, one of the best harbors on the French coast and railread for . direct trund railway to Paris. had begun.
 "All Allied military strength as- sembled in the Caen-Bayeux area has been thrown in the direction of Cherbourg A an attempt Co cut of and cantllre fhia innnnrkank hnae !