Supreme HQ Allied Expeditionary Force (November 21, 1944)
FROM
(A) SHAEF MAIN
ORIGINATOR
PRD, Communique Section
DATE-TIME OF ORIGIN
211100A November
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. 227
Allied forces have made good progress west of Venlo over heavily mined ground against light opposition. North of Meijel, we have reached the vicinity of Helenaveen on the Helenevaart Canal. Northeast of the Beringe–Helden road, our troops advanced about 2,000 yards. Gains were also made east of Helden.
In Germany, northeast of Geilenkirchen, an enemy counterattack supported by tanks was beaten off. East of the town our forces are meeting fierce enemy resistance in the vicinity of Gereonsweiler and in the town of Freialdenhoven. Dürboslar has been captured and our troops have advanced beyond Schleiden.
Substantial gains have been made east of Aachen and we are fighting in the western and southern outskirts of Eschweiler. Wenau has been taken, and fighting is in progress north of the town.
Our forces have entered Metz from three sides. Enemy resistance is centered in two pockets in the northern part of the city.
Southeast of Metz we are in Lellingen east of Falkenberg. Dieuze has been freed and our patrols are at Insviller, ten miles northeast.
In an advance of more than six miles, our troops pushed forward against broken resistance close to Sarrebourg.
More than a score of villages in the Blâmont area were freed.
Substantial gains also were made farther south in the Saint-Dié area.
Our forces have driven through the Belfort Gap and reached the Upper Rhine. Altkirch and several other towns have been freed.
Weather restricted air operations yesterday, but fighter-bombers attacked transportation targets behind the enemy lines, principally in the region from Merzig to Saint-Dié, destroying locomotives, railway cars, and road transport vehicles. In the same region, close support was given to the ground forces by attacks on gun positions, troop concentrations and strongpoints.
Medium bombers, escorted by fighters, attacked a rail bridge near Houssen, north of Colmar.
From these operations, three fighter-bombers are missing.
Yesterday afternoon, escorted heavy bombers attacked objectives in the Ruhr.
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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