Evening star., 1944-08-29
U.S.. Column Reverses
Field in Swift Dash
In Southern France
(From Yesterday's Last Edition. }
BY NEWBOLD MOVES, Jr.
Star War Correspondent.

By NEwBOLD MOVES, Jr.
Star War Correspondent.
WITH AMERICAN 7th ARMY IN
SOUTH FRANCE, Aug. q De-
layed.-"Butler,s Task Force" the
American flying column, which fol
days has operated far In front OF
our forces here in the manner O:
Jeb Stuart's Civil War cavalry raid
ers, has seized hill positions domi-
mating the Rhone Valley near
Montelimar.
Today. backed up by powerful ele-
ments, our main forces which have
caught up with the flying column
here are pounding both east and
west bank roads In the valley-the
Ifeblood artery and escape route for
the battered German 10Th Army.
Yesterday and today our forces
have been subject to sporadic prob
ing attacks by German troops sup
ported by armor. If we can hold on,
we have created serious threat to
the east flank of elements of at
least five enemy divisions.
The roads in the valley below us
have been under strangling inter-
dictory fire of our guns since Mon
day. Following Sundays capture of
the German garrison town of Gap,
the Butler flying column reversed
Its field. 1t dashed southwark
through Digne. Crest, Puts st. Mar
tin and Marsanne to take up these
positions.
Road Plainly Visible.
sat on a hill overlooking the
valley yesterday and watched the
show. The river glinted in the sun
light about miles away. The road
this side of the river was plainly
visible beneath me, and I could just
make out the west bank road on
the other side.
Our guns had been firing over
the hills onto the two roads during
the morning, directed by artillery
observers near where sat, but they
were silent now and few vehicles on
the two roads were taking advantage
of the lull to make quick dashes
between widely spaced patches and
forest through which the road
passed.
Northbound vehicles weren't 60
ing to get far, as 3 miles up the
river three of our tanks were in
position 400 yards from the east
bank of the road, blasting every
thing which tried to pass.
More than a dozen burned out
trucks Uttered the road in front of
them. Vehicles going south would
have tough time reaching Mar
seille. But they still were desper-
ately trying to move.
Road Under Direct Fire.
Suddenly from below me, over
the brow Of the hill, came the fiat
crack Of IS gun and simultane-
ously an enormous Towering cloud
OF dust appeared 100 yards beyond
the east bank of the road-the near
one.
A moment later another shot
landed a few yards short of the
road. A couple of our tank Destroy
ers had crept around the hill on the
back trail and were sending direct
fire onto the road-point-b blank
range and with sights wide open.
AS the first shell landed, the Ger
man staff car which had been crawl
ing along the road suddenly halted
opd Gould coo finv 6o,,rac docl
ing for cover by the roadside. They
left the car not moment too soon;
the third shell scored a crashing di-
rect hit. s. ~~~.-.
When the dust and smoke had
cleared, saw pile of twisted steel
where the car had been, burning
brightly at what used to be the back
end where the gas tank had been
fired.
Queer Shutting Run.
A column of what seemed to be
German infantry, who had been
walking to the south when guns
first opened up, had crouched in a |
ditch at the first shot. They re-
mained there during the shooting up
at the staff car and for a minute or
two afterward.
Then they got up again and went
on. bending low now and moving
at a queer shuffling run. From
where I sat I could see the white
of their faces against the dark road
as they looked fearfully over their
shoulders in the direction of our
threatening guns.
But the tank destroyers were after
bigger game. They opened up again
on large German truck towing a
trailer which had tried to take
refuge behind roadside farm
house. The hiding place was not
very secure-a second shell fired at
them started the truck burning.
A minute later I could hear the
cracking Of explosives from behind
the farmhouse, as orange flames
and smoke rose above the roof top