Supreme HQ Allied Expeditionary Force (March 2, 1945)
FROM
(A) SHAEF MAIN
ORIGINATOR
PRD, Communique Section
DATE-TIME OF ORIGIN
021100A March
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) 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) SHAEF MAIN
(20) PRO, ROME
(21) HQ SIXTH ARMY GP
(REF NO.)
NONE
(CLASSIFICATION)
IN THE CLEAR
Communiqué No. 328
UNCLASSIFIED: Heavy fighting continues in the area between the Hochwald Forest and Weeze. South of Uedem, Allied forces have entered Kervenheim against strong opposition.
Enemy troops on the northwest fringe of the Hochwald Forest were strafed by fighters. Strongpoints and gun positions near Labbeck and the village of Sonsbeck were attacked by fighter-bombers. Targets at Xanten and Kevelaer were attacked by medium and light bombers and rail lines in the Wesel area were cut by fighter-bombers.
Our ground units across the Roer have maintained good progress. Munchengladbach has been captured.
Fighter-bombers struck at railyards north of Düsseldorf, rail and road targets between Munchengladbach and Düsseldorf.
We are meeting stubborn enemy resistance east of the Erft River. Our units have entered Bergheim, Ichendorf, Horrem, and Mödrath.
East of Düren, we have crossed the Neffel River, cleared Pingsheim and Dorweiler, and have entered Wissersheim. Farther to the south, Müddersheim and Disternich have been captured. Our units, driving south on the east side of the Roer River, have met strong enemy resistance south of Nideggen.
Rail and road targets on both sides of the Rhine near Köln and to the south were struck at by fighter-bombers. Medium and light bombers attacked eight communications centers, most of them west of the Rhine in the Cologne area, and a rail bridge east of the city.
South of Schleiden, we have taken Oberreifferscheid. Our forces have gained one-half mile against stubborn resistance in the area nine miles northeast of Prüm, and we have taken high ground just east of Willwerath, four miles northeast of Prüm. South of Prüm, we have expanded our bridgehead across the Prüm River, and have captured Lascheid and Lambertsberg.
In the area north of Bitburg, we have taken Scheid and Ehlenz and our armored elements have repulsed a strong, tank-supported counterattack. Fighter-bombers operating in this area struck at fortified towns and armored columns.
North of Trier, our infantry has taken Möhn and Butzweiler. Our armored elements advancing from the south against enemy small arms, mortar and artillery fire have entered the outskirts of Trier and have cut the main highway one and one-half miles northeast of the city. South of Trier, we have taken Krettnach, Obermennig and Oberemmel in an advance to the northwest. Our forces in the area five and one-half miles east of Saarburg have gained one mile to the south.
There was little activity in the sector from Saarbrücken to the Franco-Swiss border. Two enemy raids were repulsed near the Rhine northeast of Strasbourg.
Allied forces in the west captured 7,507 prisoners 28 February.
Railyards at Hellbronn, Bruchsal, Göppingen, Reutlingen, Neckarsulm, Ingolstadt, Ulm and Augsburg, all in southern Germany and the communications center and industrial town of Mannheim were attacked yesterday by escorted heavy bombers in very great strength. By strafing in the vicinity of Stuttgart, München, Nuremberg and Kassel, the escorting fighters destroyed nine enemy aircraft on the ground and shot up large numbers of locomotives, rail cars and road transport. Other escorted heavy bombers attacked the synthetic oil plant at Kamen near Dortmund.
Two rail bridges over the Moselle and an ordnance depot at Giessen were targets for medium and light bombers.
Fighter-bombers attacked railyards in the Darmstadt area and at Alzey, northwest of Worms, and cut rail lines in the Kaiserslautern area.
Twenty-three enemy aircraft were shot down. Twelve heavy bombers and 22 fighters are missing.
Last night, light bombers attacked targets in Berlin and Erfurt.
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 FA4655
AUTHENTICATING SIGNATURE
/s/