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ADVANGES CONTINUING IN NORMANDY
85 MILES BEACHHEAD: FIERCE
FlCHTINC IN ALL SECTORS
LONDON, Wednesday.-The Allied armies now hold 85 miles of the coast
line in Normandy, and the latest communique from Supreme HQ shows
that advances are being made in all sectors, especially in the Caen-Bayeux
area. Fierce fighting is taking place on the Cherbourg peninsula, near
, the town of Montebourg, 17 miles from Cherbourg. Earlier reports stated
that this town had been captured by the Allies, but nothing definite is
known. of the exact position in this sector.
On the Cherbourg peninsu
la American troops are en
countering stiff resistance
on the outskirts of Carentan,
but enemy positions are be
ing blasted by our warships. /
In the Caen-Bayeux sector, our
troops have advanced west of
Tilly and have by-passed the
town of Caumont.
The Allied spearhead near Cau
mont is gradually extending inland.
There has been considerable fight
ing around the Troarn area, but it
is not clear who holds this town.
Troops t, om famlous Br.tish I egi
ments are taking part. in the tig,.t
ing in this area and have struck
some solid. blows at the enemy. We
made advances by using strong mo
torised units to support the infantly.
Several villages have been taken
intact, and one correspondent de
scribes the scene in this part of the
country as follows: "Cars of British
regiments combed 'the side roads,
while tanks roared over hills and
across fields in clouds of dust.
Another 'orrespondent contends
that the Germans' field artillery is
rather weak.
Part of the enemy's tactics is to
leave snfpers behind in an endeav
our to slow up the Allied advance.
Our fire power is increasing, but
our forces are -trying to spare
French towns as much as possible.
At the base of the Cherbourg
peninsula, more hard ,fighting is
taking place. An earlier report
said~'It was not clear who held
Carentan, but later messages
make it quite clear that the Al
lies are well installed in the
* town.
Our troops are making thrusts to
wards St. Lo, where enemy positions
have been heavily hit by our boln-u
bers.
The exact position at Montebourg
is obscure. Yesterday, it was re
ported that• this important centre
had fallen into the hands of the Al
utes, but according to th'e latest
despaches received, there is sonje
doubt about the claim.
wv arships are giving close support
to our troops In this area by blast
ing heavily fortified strong points.
.A Supreme Headquarters spokes
man said today that the Allied front
has now been extended to a distance
of 85 miles.
Our air forces have bombed five
German airlielus near Paris, and are
making concerted attacks behind the
enemy lines.
American bombers landed in Nor
manay for the first time yesterday.
.tteturning from raids, they landed
on the newly constructed strips, re
fuelled, and then attacked trains
and enemy installations before re
turning to their base.
Planes have also liown supplies to
all paits of the ueachhead.
Baveux is now controlled by the
atvil administration. Arehs and am
munition have been turned over to
the police, and there is a curfew
each night at 11 o'clock.
A report from an Algiers radio
station states that French patriots
lave played a great, part in delaying
uerman advances by engaging in
guerrilla warfare. They have been
ordered to concentrate on small
forces of enemy troops.
It is estimated that the Nazis are
using about 500,000 men on all the
fronts, about a quarter of the total
number of German' troops in nor
thern France.
It is also reported that the enemy
is using French tanks, which cannot
stand up to Allied fire.
Allied navies are keeping a sharp
look-out for E-boats in the channel
so that our supplies will be unin
terrupted.
RAAF' planes are continuing to
bomb enemy positions on the C;her
bourg peninsula, and it is reported
that rocket-firing aircraft are beinm
used in some sectors;
Last night's air attacks on inland
objectives early last week restricted
the activities of our aircraft.
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