The Wilmington morning star., 1945-02-27
German Lines
Seem Broken
Ruhr Basin
Won Rundstedt Seeks To
Rally Disorganized
Forces

PARIS, Tuesday, Feb. II. -tP)--
The U. S. First Army drove with
in 10 IL miles Of Cologne last
night and pounded it with heavy
guns while the Ninth Army On the
north achieved gains which field
officer said appeared to be
breakthrough six miles from tho
Ruhr Basin.
With four Allied armies on the
offensive on 200-mile front, Ger
man Field Marshal Won Rund-
stedt sought to rally his disor-
ganiZed forces in an order of the
day calling on them to defend the
Ruhr's approaches to the last nan.
saying that otherwise all was lost.
Front dispatches said the U. S.
Third Army appeared to have
achieved second breakthrough 60
miles south of the First Army,
where in seven-mile surge, tanks
and troops broke across both the
Pruem and Minis river and were
swiftly enveloping the enemy's Eli
fel mountain stronghold OF Bit.
burg.
The Canadian First Army res'lm.
ed its offensive on the north flank
and behind mighty barrage
fought three and half miles south
eastward within a dozen miles Of
the Ruhr and cracked into the
bitterly-defended town of Calcdr
Gen. Eisenhower's big push ON
the west was shifting into high
gear. Four armies were threaten
ing to overrun all Germany west
of the Rhine and north of the Mo-
selle river, an area 200 miles long
and as much as 80 miles wide.
Flowing 80 miles into the Reich,
the First Army drove two spear
heads nearly 10 miles east OF the
Roer river, and front dispatch
said battalics Of self-prope sled
Long Toms mad opened fire on
Cologne.
The Ninth Army on the north
toppled the key road and railway
town of Erkelenz and sent a COL
umn on two miles northeast to
within six miles Of the wes-ern
Ruhr foundries at Muenchen-G,a
bach, and 10 miles from DuesseI-
dorf.
Both armies were driving to.
ward the Rhine and at four points
were one to four miles from the
Erft river, last natural line Of
defense before the Rhine. which is
seven 10 Is miles farther east.
The Ninth Army sped ON beyond
the last minefields, seized one oivi-
sion headquarters so swift was it's
rush. and was overrunning even
anti aircraft positions, rarely CAPS
rured in battle.
Field reports from both armies
said the German positions were
deteriorating rapidly, American
casualties were surprisingly light,
and Ninth Army officer declar-
ed: "There is no organized line
in front OF us and it appears we
have a breakthrough. -
The front now was 40 miles vide
OCyOIlo lIS HOtI' NJ lCoot ~ NSA
man towns fell during the Gay.
The Americans were hurdlins the
anti-tank bitches, the zig-zag Ten
ches of the type used in the FIRST
World War and other fortiflca-
tons which civilians had dug has-
tily in hope of stopping the Amen.
cans before the Rhine.
Pilots spotted heavy road and
rail movement speeding westward
beyond the Rhine toward Cologne,
which could be used for a stand
like that at Stalingrad.
Fighting with rising speed through
the fortified towns and industrial
Stag heaps, American troops and
tanks were tanning out from u ar
en- and one column lanced hey nd
Drove, five miles southeast Of
Dueren, cutting in behind the
tough Roer defenses south OF that
fallen citadel
1t Gen. William H. Simps ms
Ninth Army had Cologne-bound
column nine miles north of hat
Of the First Army, and these for.
ces were only three miles from
the Erft river after Selling Cber-
embt, seven miles northeast Of
Juelich.
At least four divisions had been
identified in this northernmost
push which not only was rolling
toward the Rhine but was within
artillery range Of the western
Ruhr's factories.
One force captured, the conmu-
Continued on Page Three; Col. 81