Evening star., 1945-01-06
Western Front
(Continued From First Page.)


Salm River southwest of Stavelot.
1T was day of some progress
against heavy German opposition,
said a commentator at Marshal
Montgomery's headquarters. There
was hard fighting throughout the
day."
Supported by Tanks.
The Germans were supporting
some of their counterattacks with
tanks and were flaying the Allied
spearheads with mortar, rocket, ar
tillery ana antitank IRE from their
frozen dugouts behind snow-con-
cealed minefields and tripwires.
In Holland two bands of Poles
supported by shellf1re from Cana
dian tanks, crossed the Mas
(Meuse) River near Heusden, :
miles northwest OF s Hertogen-
bosch, in daylight and captured
prisoners.
Under the pressure of at least II
counterattacks In two days, United
States Sd Army troops on the south
ern flank of the Belgian bulge on
Thursday Withdrew 2 miles in the
Michamps area, miles northeast OF
Bastogne, and a mile around Wardin
3 miles southeast of Bastogne.
The withdrawal of the Sd Army
troops was described as an orderly
line ne-shortening operation. In the
face of heavy German concentra-
ton, the Americans reduced their
wedge line into the waist Of the
enemy salient from 81 to 81 miles
a front dispatch said. They took ur
strong defense positions on high
ground along a curving front
miles outside Bastogne.
Troop Concentrations Bombed,
Raj planes hit enemy troop and
armor concentrations in and around
the important road junction OF
Houfalize, 10 miles northeast OF
Bastogne, last night.
This Belgian town is well inside
the perimeter Of the salient in an
area where Won Rundstedt appears
to have concentrated an inner core
of panzer divisions. He has placed
a cushion of infantry divisions ali
around the ends and shoulders OF
his salient. 80.
Pounding through the wooded
area south Of the Maginot fortress
city Of Bitche in the new southern
offensive, German trops bumped
into firm resistance at the point OF
their deepest penetration. This was
at the communications center OF
Wingen-sur- Moder, 9Ha miles south
Of Bitche and II miles north OF the
town of Saverne in the gap OF that
name.
BY last night 7th Army troops
had cleared all but a few German
snipers from the Wingen-sur-
Moder, a front dispatch said. This
success enabled the 7th Army to
keep open lateral communications
to Haguenau, 10 miles to the SOUTH
east.
The main highway to Haguenau
forks q mile east Of Wingen-sllr-
Moder with the northern branch
running to Sarreguemines and the
southern one to Sarre Union The
Sarreguemines- -Haguenau Railroad
also runs through the town.
Battle Around Lemberg.
Fighting continued without any
major change In the area of Lem
berg, above Wingen-str-Moder on
the west side. Of the Germans new
salient, and Baerenthal and Phil
ippsbourg, on the salient's east side.
Some Of the Germans who crossed
the Rhine In barges and motor boats
were miles north Of StrAsbourg.
American troops fought these troops
at Gambsheim and Onendorf, while
some enemy units pushed In . west
erly direction toward Hoerdt and
Weyersheim, French villages 4 to
miles from the Rhine.
Associated Press Correspondent
Robert Wilson said that In Stras-
bourg loudspeakers operated by the
department Of psychological Nnx-
fare advised evacuating residents "a
return to their homes and said, III
there Is need to evAcilate the town
Ne VA assiSt you With trains and
trucls.s