The Wilmington morning star., 1945-04-06
Third Pushes
Across Hills
OF Thuriingia
patton's Army Lacks 63
Miles Of Cutting Ger
many In Half

PARIS. Friday, April 6-R-The
U. S. Ninth Army broke across the
Weser river 1877 miles west of Ber-
lin yesterday and the British Sec
ond Army in 30-mile lunge swept
IN 80 miles south of the great
shipbuild1ng city of Bremen as
the enemy fled east along the north
German plain.
Without losing a man, the Ninth
Armv crossed the Weser with
troops ard tanks south of Hame-
lin, % miles southwest Of Hanover.
simultaneously, the U. S. Third
Army struck across Thuringla's
hills 1870 miles southwest Of Ber-
lin in a tanning push that lacked
60 miles Of cutting the Reichin
half and the enemy was reported
falling back south for the expected
last stand in Bavaria's mountain
businesses.
The Canadian First Army shook
loose an armored column on a IL
mile tear that ripped back into
the German peninsula and into Uel-
sen. on the highway to Bremen
and within So miles OF an arm OF
the North Sea.
This drive, sweeping northward
parallel to the British armored
push. increased the threat to two
German armies, now in retreat to-
ward the Elba river.
Field Marshal Sir Bernard L.
Montgomery's Canadian and Brit
ish. forces were battling north on
1oO-nile front, and by capturing
Stolzenau on the Weser river 80
miles from Bremen the British van
guards had Travelled 100 miles from
the Rhine. Minden also was seized.
One coivnan on the west also was
% miles from Bremen after tight
ing up with less than three miles
of Diepholtz.
The bartie of Annihi1ation in the
Ruhr basin rose in fury as both
the U. S. First and Ninth Armies
pressed the assault on possibly
10000 German troop, reported
trapped there with Field Marshal
Albert Kesselring, commander OF
all enemy armies on the Western
Front.
The Ninth Army was knocking
in the root of the trap, advancing
up to nine miles both east and west
of pivotal Hamrn, and was five
miles from the Ruhr city OF Dort-
rnund. One robot bomb factory had
been over1un.
Pilots said the enemy was mas
sing tanks and self-propelled guns
on the eas: side of the pocket, ap-
parently to attempt a breakout.
On the southern end of the
front, the u S. Seventh Army
scored gains of IA miles, battled
into Kitzingen beyond the river
Main and severed the highway be-
tween topping Wuerzburg and the
Nazi shrine city of Nuremberg,
only "a miles ahead Of advanced
American forces.
The French First Army farther
south fought nearly two miles south
of the captured city of Karlsruhe
and the Paris radio said one column
now was but IL IL miles from the
south German city of Stuttgart.
The U. S. Third Army was strik-
Ing across Thuringia's hills and
was closest to the capital. One tank
column roared due eat to within
ITO miles of a junction with the
Russians and &c miles from Plau-
en-, While another was 63 miles
rom Czccilos1ovakia.
The fall of Plauen also would
cut Germany in two. since it con-
trols the last good highways and
railways leading into Bavaria. and
pilots said already considerable
movement of enemy forces had
oeen spotted moving southwark
along that route.
The Germans also were in flight
toward the Elbe river-last river
barrier 50 miles west of Berlin
after the u. S. Ninth Army wound
up day Of dazzling 28-mile gains
Dy hurting troops and tanks across
NoSA 11VS1 WlIIlOQI SIIlSle
casualty.
The Second Armored and the goth
infantry Divisions crossed south
81 81 Folklore's Pied Piper city OF
5nlamelin, % miles southwest OF
nannoVer, and began pounding up
the Hanover highway.
Inc British Second Army after
zo-nnile advance likewise reach.
ca me Weser, and the two armies
neio 48 niles of the west bank.
with embattled Minden roughly in
the &C Ater.
mere vas every indication the
Nerfnans had written off the Weser
'00h'nued on Page Nine; Col. A.