Evening star., 1944-08-17
Nine Towns in
Southern France
Are Captured
MAP on Page A-3.)
BY the Associated Press.

oS tHG hSSOClAtSQ TIeeb.
ROME, Aug. 17.-Allied troops
have punched out a solid front
so miles broad and about 80 miles
deep along the coast of Southern
France, Maj. Gen. Alexander M.
Patch's 7th Army headquarters
announced today.
On the west the invasion forces
drove to within 10 miles of the his
toric old fortified naval base of Tou-
lon. On the east they were within
10 miles of the picturesque resort of
Cannes. The invaders. spearheaded
by three veteran American divisions
and supported by heavily armored
French forces had seized an area of
approximately 500 square miles.
(The German communique said
the Allies already had penetrated
Cannes. German broadcasts re-
ported airborne troops had land
ed northwest Of Cannes and en-
tered the town after bloody fight-
ing. Although the Germans
declared they were Smelling the
town from nearby heights. broad
casts indicated they had little
hope of holding the town where
Napoleon landed in 1915 to be-
gin his famous 100-day cam
paignD
Nine Towns Captured.
The Allied announcement listed
nine towns in Allied hands-the
coastal towns Of st. Tropez, Ste.
Maxine, st. Raphael, Frejus and
LIE Lavandou and the inland COM
munities of LIE Muy, lie Luc, Lor-
gus and Collobrieres.
Lorgues, the farthest inland, is a
miles from the coast at Cap Cam
arat near st. Tropez in the approx.
mate center Of the beachhesd front
1t was probable that the Allied
vanguards were well beyond all these
points. and there was a possibility
that the assault on Toulon might al
ready have begun, since the enemy
still was offering only limited re-
sistance.
The Germans may have concen-
trated considerable forces in that
naturally strong base for q desperate
stand.
The Allies already have . front
deep enough to establish airfields.
Swift Advance.
THE swift advance OF American
and French troops inland continues
and numerous additional villages
and towns have been TAKEN" Gen
Patch announced.
All elements of the beachhead
have joined to form a continuous
front arching inland with anchor
points over so airline miles apart.
The beachhead itself now embraces
some 500 square miles.
junction with strong air-borne
units dropped far behind the enemy
lines before dawn on D-day has been
effected.
French and American reinforce
ments, including armor. are pouring
ashore. Casualties continue excep-
tionally light"
The junction Of assault infantry
which landed from the sea and
the huge air-borne force indi-
Gated that the Allies had reached
inland communica ton arteries
which the parachute troops had
been assigned to block. and that
these henceforth would be available
for the swift funneling of men and
supplies into the rugged mountains
In the drive northward.
Link Up With Csmmandos.
American infantry previously
linked up with French Commands
who had landed on the flanks of the
main invading force to block side
avenues to the beachheads.
1t thus was evident that the
Allies within 4s hours after their
landing had achieved an astonish-
ing success in seizing the primary
requisites for large scale operation
With tanks and mighty MILO tank
destroyers ashore it was also evi-
dent that Gen. Patch was in a posi-.
tion to weather the greatest danger
ahead-the period in the first Y
hours when the enemy might mass
armored reserves to make a coun.
terattack.
But SO far there was little evil
dence to show that the Germans
were massing for such counter
attacks.
Enemy Convoy Destroyed.
Thunderbolts intercepted and de-
stroyed one convoy of so enemy
motor trucks towing field guns to-
ward the battle area, leaving at
least a of the vehicles in flames
and the others damaged.
On the contrary, there were SIGNS
that the Germans nervously were
preparing for an extension of Allied
landings.
Crews Of British Bostons and
Baltimores reported fires early to-
day in Nice Harbor (Which the
Germans already have said they
were evacuating). These appar-
(See RIVIERA page 1-37