Supreme HQ Allied Expeditionary Force (December 4, 1944)
FROM
(A) SHAEF MAIN
ORIGINATOR
PRD, Communique Section
DATE-TIME OF ORIGIN
041100A December
TO FOR ACTION
(1) AGWAR
(2) NAVY DEPARTMENT
TO (W) FOR INFORMATION (INFO)
(3) TAC HQ 12 ARMY GP
(4) MAIN 12 ARMY GP
(5) SHAEF AIR STAFF
(6) ANCXF
(7) EXFOR MAIN
(8) EXFOR REAR
(9) DEFENSOR, OTTAWA
(10) CANADIAN C/S, OTTAWA
(11) WAR OFFICE
(12) ADMIRALTY
(13) AIR MINISTRY
(14) UNITED KINGDOM BASE
(15) SACSEA
(16) CMHQ (Pass to RCAF & RCN)
(17) COM ZONE
(18) SHAEF REAR
(19) NEWS DIV. MINIFORM, LONDON
(REF NO.)
NONE
(CLASSIFICATION)
IN THE CLEAR
Communiqué No. 240
Allied forces have made good progress in an attack on the last remaining enemy bridgehead over the Meuse River, west of Venlo. We reached the river in the area of the bridge and have mopped up all but a few small pockets. Enemy strongpoints in the Wanssum area have also been cleared.
In this sector, road intersections at Straelen and Kaldenkirchen were bombed by medium and light bombers. Farther north, rocket-firing fighters hit machine gun and mortar positions north and east of Nijmegen. Fighter-bombers struck at enemy communications at Arnhem and Amersfoort and elsewhere in Holland. They also flew into Germany to attack rail transport at Stadtlohn, Dülmen and Krefeld, and railway yards at Grevenbroich.
Our ground forces in the Roer River Valley have cleared the village of Leiffart, and have repulsed a counterattack in the Lindern area. Roerdorf and Flossdorf, on the Roer River, are in our hands.
South of Jülich, we have crossed the Inde River at Inden and have cleared the eastern portion of the town. The spearhead of the force which crossed the river advanced 1,500 yards southeast of Inden and captured Lucherberg after heavy fighting. Troops driving north from Langerwehe have captured Luchem and advanced beyond to reach the Autobahn which connects Aachen and Köln.
In this sector, fighter-bombers attacked enemy troops and fortifications north of Jülich, and hit artillery positions north of Düren.
Southeast of Hürtgen, our forces have taken Brandenberg, and are threatening Bergstein, about a mile to the east, where targets were attacked by fighter bombers.
In the Saar Valley, our troops have crossed the river at Saarlouis and are fighting in the eastern part of the town. A bridge across the Saar was taken intact, but is under enemy artillery fire.
Farther south, we have reached Wilhelmsbornn and two miles southeast of the town we have crossed the German border. Saare-Union has been cleared of the enemy. Fighter-bombers operating across the German frontier, struck at targets in Zweibrücken.
Gains of two miles were made east of Sarre-Union and several villages were taken including Wingen, on the Tieffenbach-Ingweiler Pass. To the southeast, our units are approaching the outskirts of Haguenau.
In the Strasbourg area, fighters and medium and fighter-bombers, silenced gun positions, and attacked rail transport deep behind the enemy lines.
In the southern high Vosges, our units pushed eastward north of the Col de la Schlucht. After violent fighting, the high ground dominating the lower Thur Valley was taken. Our artillery set afire an armored train in this area.
COORDINATED WITH: G-2, G-3 to C/S
THIS MESSAGE MAY BE SENT IN CLEAR BY ANY MEANS
/s/
Precedence
“OP” - AGWAR
“P” - Others
ORIGINATING DIVISION
PRD, Communique Section
NAME AND RANK TYPED. TEL. NO.
D. R. JORDAN, Lt Col FA2409
AUTHENTICATING SIGNATURE
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