Evening star., 1944-06-29


3 miles north of Caen. A to-
tai of 292 German tanks have
been disabled or destroyed in
Normandy since D-day, head
quarters said. Incomplete re-
ports showed at least A Ger
man aircraft shot down today
over France and Germany.
The air forces announced
that since D-day enemy
fighter bases supporting the
battle area have been driven
back 100 miles by Allied air
attacks"
By the Associated Press.
SUPREME ALLIED HEAD
QUARTERS, June 29.-The Ger
mans were reported today to
have thrown the bulk of their
18th and 17th Armies into the
defense of Caen in an attempt to
halt the British flanking thrust
south of the inland port.
But. Gen. Sir Bernard L. Mont
gomery's men smashed nine coun-
terattacks in "a hours and widened
breach in the enemy lines.
Supreme heaquarters announced
British infantry and armor we're
streaming across the Odon River,
southwest of Caen, in an ever
widening bridgehead.
Fighting on Three Sides.
Field dispatches said the German
command had sent virtually the en-
tire strength of the two armies into
fierce armored fighting raging on
three sides of the city.
(Today's German communique
said the British were attacking
on a l7-mile front and had
achieved a minor break-in" in
the bushy terrain southwest of
Caen. One German tank forma-
ton destroyed So Allied tanks,
the communique declared. The
Germans Hitler Youth 18th
Tank Division was said to have
distinguished itself in the fight
ing.
THE German-controlled Paris
radio declared reinforcements for
Gen. Montgomery were being
landed near the mouth of the
Ornie River.)
A field dispatch from Associated
Press Correspondent Roger Greene
said hundreds of British guns laid
down 'murderous barrage" against
German armored forces moving up
to attack the British right flank,
and quoted British officers as say
ing German movement on the
roads is being slaughtered by our
planes"
$50 Nazi Tanks Attack.
The Germans threw $50 tanks
into flank attacks yesterday, the
dispatch said. and much hand-to-
hand fighting occurred in the woods
where the British hunted dowr
Germans in camouflaged nests.
Heavy fighting, including large
scale tank clashes. ragged at dis
tances of 2 to miles from Caen.
While British tanks beat against
the enemy in a flaming battle al
points less than miles southwest
OF Caen in an eastward thrust which
would strangle the city's communi-
cations, other forces battered the
enemy from the north and north
west in fighting almost equally al
bitter.
Westward the Americans on the
Cherbourg Peninsula were moppins
up isolated resistance in the Car
de La Hague. where it was unoffi.
cially estimated that about 5000
Germans still are holding out.
Nazis Receive Supplies.
Germans making their last stano
In the Cap de La Hague area wore
reported receiving supplies today
from planes flying by night.
East of Cherbourg;. Americans fin
ished mopping up and took 1,10f
prisoners yesterday while caging 45C
more in other sectors. Strong artil-
lery concentrations silenced German
guns holding out at Fort Central.
Indications were that the die-harc
elements at Cap de La Hague were
preparing to make q stand on the
Vauville- Beaumont HaguesGrevill,
line.
The bag of prisoners taken or
Cherbourg Peninsula continued Il
increase. 1t was officially announced
that Germans captured by American
forces In France from D-day u
Tuesday night totaled 28,849
Typical Big Tank Battle.
The fighting around Caen in tn
present stage is a typical big TAM
battle, with none knowing exactl
where the front lines are and town
being overrun, only to be retakel
a few hours later.
Every British advance has beer
met with most violent local coun
terattack," the supreme comman,
said. 1T is to be expected tn
Germans will make a co-ordinatet
major counterthrust."
1t is considered unlikely that tn
battle for Caen will be decided be
fore Marshal Erwin Rommel make
such an all-out bid.
The nine Germans attacks wer
beaten off by the British afte
forcing the Odon. The battle fiowe'
to within mile Of Maltot, mile
southwest of Caen.
The last field reports said so Ger
(See INVASION, Page A-16)