Evening star., 1945-02-16
Canadians DEFY
HeavyFirein
Valley
Push Mile Further
Against Increasing
German Strength
Ey the Associated Press.

| Ey the Associated Press.
PARIS, Feb. 16.-The Canadian
1st Army, aimed toward the heart
of the industrial Rhur. today
thrust almost mile deeper into
the lower Rhine Valley of North
west Germany through storms of
heavy artillery and mortar fire
thrown by ever-increaSing en-
emy reserves.
The Canadians held 20 miles of
the south bank of the flooded
Rhine from the Nijmegen sector to
opposite Emmerich, but made no
threats at crossing the wide water
way. They stormed and captured
water-hemmed Huisberden, 4 miles
east of Kleve and 10 miles from the
Ruhr gateway city of Wesel.
Scots, Britons and Welshmen un-
der Gen. Henry Crerar's command
inched toward the defense key
stones of Goch and Calcar in the
center of the bullying 20-mile front.
One front dispatch said the British
Empire troops spread out south of
Moyland, indicating an advance in
to the area less than miles from
Calcar. Scots swinging down the
highway from Kleve moved to
within 1000 yards of Moyland.
Closing Slowly on Goch.
Other troops closed slowly to-
ward Goch from three directions
and were within easy artillery
range. Goch and Calcar both are
important military highway hubs.
The Germans committed elements
of an 9th Division to the critical
northern front, the 9th Parachute
Division. Three other parachute,
two infantry and two tank divisions
have been Identified. Prisoners
totaled $500 for the offensive.
The American Sd Army carved out
half-mile gains in the Pruem sector,
slowly reducing German fortifica-
tions. The 7th Army in Northern
Alsace also rested after local line
Strengthening operation which over
ran Rimling, miles south of the
German Saarland, and two other
villages.
With the Roer River receding
rapidly at the edge of the Cologne
Plain, the Germans increased their
artillery and V-weapon fire on the
American 9th and 1st Armies. The
Germans said both these forces had
been strengthened immensely for
an imminent offensive toward the
Rhine, 20 miles away. Some TOO
shells fell on the 9Th Army sector
from Schmidt to Hilfarth, $50 on
Bourheim southwest of the Roer
bastion of Juelich.
Austrians Want to Surrender.
Ground mistS covered sodden bat
tlegrounds in the northern sector,
denying air support to the Canadian
Army. Three more German count
erattacks were repelled and the
sting appeared to have been taken
from the German blows.
Synchronized with the thrust
down the Kleve-Calcar military
highway a column of killed Scots
advanced 1000 yards east of the
Kleve forest, cracking into strong
German defenses. One report said
100 discouraged Austrians were
waiting patiently in the northeast
corner of the forest to surrender,
but that the Scots were too busy
to bother with them.
Front dispatches said the Cana
dians were established firmly on
the Rhine and looking across the
river into the textile mills of EN-
merich Resistance along the Rhine
was light; the Germans depended
on the width of the river and food
ing from its preached dykes for
protection.
Gains Along Pruem River.
Maj Gen. Leroy S. Irwin's 5th Di-
vision Of the Sd Army occupied high
ground overlooking the Pruem and
Enz Rivers after quarter mile gains
on a smile front north of Echter-