The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-07-29
SMASH
INTO COUTANCES


Continued from Page One)
powerful tank force in another
i've mile gain seized Tessy-Sur'
Wire. ten miles south OF st. Lc
ard halfway to Wire, a good road
center and the old capital OF low
cr Normandy.
Plunge Into Triangle
Only a thin, 80 mile triangle
formed by Coutances, Wire and Az
ranches remained in enemy ahnds
Of the Normandy peninsula and
1t Gen. Omar N. Bradley's tanks
we're pluaging unchecked into this
territory. ~,
Fluid fighting spread over zoo
square miles and the bag OF pris-
oners neared 5000. The Americans
have buried 1916 enemy dead In
four days of fighting, these reports
said.
Far behind the spearheads, the
battlefield was Uttered with hum
dreds of vehicles, and thousands
If stragglers resisted the mop-ur
squads moving in to solidify con-
trol of the bulk of the peninsula.
The Germans had paid heavy
price to extrica.e the bulk of sew
En- mauled divisions from the poe
ket above Coutances. Veteran pi-
lots flying over The scene said the
enemy's retreat was more disor-
derly than his rout in North Africa.
Taking Gamble
Dispatches from the Cean front
said westward movement of Ger
man transport had ben spotted,
indicating Rommel was taking the
gamble of moving forces from Ca
en- to meet the American menace.
The Germans were seen digging
il for all they are worth south
of Caen in preparation for Gen.
yir Bernard L. Montgomery's next
blow.
As six American tank columns
roared on south unchecked, Ger
man broadcasts began preparing
the home front for the loss of stra-
tegic Avranches and Wire, 80 and
~ miles respectively below t h e
jump off around st. Lo. The
column driving toward Avranches
was the farthest south.
By reaching for the thrat Of the
Breton Peninsula, this column was
gradually outflanking strong posi-
tio1s along the bluffs of the Sienne
Riber, souh of Coutances, and
thu catching to pin thousands of the
weary enemy against the sea if
they choose to make stand there.
Fighting was so fluid that a Su-
rreme Headquarters spokesman
threw up his hands at the idea of
trying to plot current lines on a
map, and artillerymen looking for
good spot to set up a gun
actually captured II Germans and
tire Russian field pieces far back
Of the front.
Associated Press Correspondent
Yves Gallagher reported that eve.
ry country lane and hedgerow
erupted American tanks and
dcughboys, with columns miles
long pouring down the peninsula
in pursuit Of the enemy. 49,.
They m owed under drilling
skies in impressive array, an d
were taking surprisingly light tank
losses. They swept forward SO rap
idly they were catching German
staff cars and messengers on the
road.
One report broadcast by the Ger
mans said tina: the Allies were
ready to throw Yet another new Ar.
my into the offensive.
Detected and bewildered prison.
ers trudged north to the prison
pens as the break through was
cepened from ten to 10 miles.
and at one command post on the
Coutances front elements of six diff
ferent divisions were identified in
Is minute roundup.
The Soulle River, which mean.
ders northwestward across tn e
Normandy plain to Coutances, was
a possible place for a German
stand, but it already was preached
IL miles southwest OF St. Lo.
There was nc indication the
American steamroller could be
stopped even at the more fornid-
able Sienne line, six to ten miles
farther south, without a shifting
OF reserves from the east,
And the enemy appeared too
nervous about an imminent bios
from the ritish south of Ceaa to
try that. for Headquarters report
ed numerous small German feeler
attacks were beaten off on that
still quiet sector.
CThe German agnecy DNB said
$500 american heavy t a nks, the
bulk of from 10 to IL tank divi-
sions, were plunging south in Tex
tremely fierce" attacks with Av-
ranches as the objective. Berlin
dispatches to Stockholm put t h e
total allied strength at 5 divisions
and 5000 to 1000 tanks.)
-V-
South Americas largest bi I'd,
the condor iS scn0 %;roe -. ~: