Evening star., 1944-11-09
Minor Advances
Scored in EurIy
Hours Of Drive
MAP on Page A-3.)
By the Associated Press,

LONDON, Nov. 9.-Lt. Gen
George S. Patton, jr., today
doubled his attack toward the
Rhine, throwing in three more
American divisions and extend
ing his drive to both side of
Metz.
Early minor gains were reported,
with opposition from light to mod
crate.
German radio commentators de-
clared the 3rd Army commander
signaled the prelude to "the big
offensive with an earth shaking
barrage in an effort "to burst open
the historical gate to the palantinate
which was chosen by Napoleon as the
marching route for his battalions
and regiments"
Front-line dispatches said Gen
Patton sent two divisions into action
north of fort-ringed Metz and an
other to join the three which at
tackled south of the city on a 25-
mile front yesterday and gained up
to miles.
Sixteen Villages Captured.
At least Is villages were captured
In the combined advance of the Bird
and 7th Armies, with two Bird Army
Corps, the 18th and goth, in action.
Several of the villages had been pre-
vlously captured, however, and re-
linquished in the face of counter
attacks.
South of Metz the attack spread
all the way from Cheminot, 10 miles
south Of Metz and miles east of
Moselle, to the Chateau -Salills area,
where the doughboys hammered a
mile-deep wedge north OF the Rhine
Marne canal at a point 20 miles
east of Nancy and an equal distance
west of Sarrebourg.
The Germans said the Americans
are making feverish preparations
for a new offensive in the Achen
region" also and were seeking to
eliminate German artillery obser-
vation posts by dropping smoke
canisters on them. Artillery fire
was intensified on both sides, the
Germans said.
In Holland, where the first snow
of the season fell last night, Field
Marshal Sir Bernard L. Montgom-
ery's 21st Army group had seized
all of Walcheren Island at the
mouth Of the Schelde except tiny
pocket around the villages of But
tinge and st. Laurens, miles
northwest of Middleburg. This
pocket was isloated from the coast.
Poles Attack Bridgehead.
South of the Mas (Meuse) Poles
had blown their way through the
concrete defenses around the south
ern end of the Moerdijk bridges
and were attacking an enemy
bridgehead IL miles long and
three-fourths of mile deep.
The American 1st Army was
slowly regaining some of the ground
lost this week southeast of Aachen
to strong German counterattacks.
The Allied communique said the
Americans were advancing slowly
against heavy enemy pressure in the
area south of Vossenack and south
west of the town of Hurtgen against
very heavy resistance" West of
Schmidt, which the 1st Army
reached before being thrown back,
enemy pockets are being mopped up,
the announcement said.
A field dispatch yesterday said
the enemy had regained much of the
territory won by the 1st Army in the
opening phases of the attack it
launched last Friday.
In Gen. Patton's offensive, 18th
Division crossed the Moselle River
in two places north of Metz. An
other fresh division, still unidenti-
ned in dispatches, established a
bridgehead over a Moselle tributary
also above the city.
Moselle Crossed at Two Places.
The 10th Division crossed the
Moselle River in two places north of
Metz. Another fresh division, still
(See WESTERN FRONT, Page A-3)