Supreme HQ Allied Expeditionary Force (April 4, 1945)
FROM
(A) SHAEF MAIN
ORIGINATOR
PRD, Communique Section
DATE-TIME OF ORIGIN
041100A April
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. 361
UNCLASSIFIED: Allied forces north of Nijmegen have cleared a large area between the Waal and the Neder Rijn. To the northeast along the Twente Canal we have cleared Lochem and have advanced beyond the town to the west.
Northeast of Enschede, we captured Nordhorn. Farther east, our forces advanced through difficult country and have reached the outskirts of Osnabrück.
Münster has been cleared. Northeast of Bielefeld we crossed the Werra River south of Herford and have advanced to the northeast. Our units crossed the Bielefeld-Paderborn road and pushed beyond it to the east.
Railyards at Holzminden and Hameln were bombed by medium and light bombers.
On the northern side of the Ruhr Pocket, our forces crossed the Lippe-Seiten Canal and are fighting in the outskirts of Hamm. To the southeast, we captured Oestereiden and Rüthen.
Winterberg is in our hands, and in the area to the south we made gains of up to two miles toward the west. We repulsed a counterattack southwest of Winterberg and are fighting in Bad Berleburg.
Our forces pushing northward along the southern edge of the Ruhr Pocket crossed the Sieg River ten miles north of Siegen which is in our hands. Netphen, to the northeast, was taken after a three-hour battle.
Southeast of Paderborn, our infantry is advancing into the Hardehausen Forest, where an estimated 1,000 German infantrymen and 20 tanks were bypassed by our spearheads. This enemy force made two unsuccessful counterattacks in the vicinity of Blomenberg and eight of its tanks were knocked out in the first attack. We have cleared Helmern and Borgentreich northwest and northeast of Warburg which has been captured. Fighting continues in Kassel.
German barracks and troop concentrations at Nordhausen, east of Kassel, were bombed by heavy bombers. Airfields at Thal and west of Erfurt were attacked by fighter-bombers.
Fanatical enemy resistance in Aschaffenburg was overcome after several days’ severe fighting. We made gains up to 10 miles to the northeast, reaching Florsbach.
At Würzburg, our infantry, with armor support, crossed the Main River in assault boats and entered the city. Another crossing was made some eight miles to the south. We drove two miles beyond the river but an enemy counterattack cost some of the gains.
Armored columns advancing up to Neckar River closed on Heilbronn farther north and west.
Among 4,400 prisoners taken, mostly in the Heilbronn-Würzburg-Aschaffenburg sector, was another German general who was a hospital patient.
Allied forces in the west captured 27,771 prisoners 2 April.
Artillery positions, east of Aschaffenburg and enemy armor and strongpoints in the outskirts of Würzburg were bombed and strafed by fighter-bombers. Railyards at Würzburg and Stuttgart were attacked by other fighter-bombers.
Three large U-boat bases, the naval base and the shipbuilding center of Kiel were attacked yesterday by escorted heavy bombers in great strength.
Road and rail transport in wide areas stretching from Amersfoort, Holland to Bremen, Germany and motor transport and armor in the Ruhr were attacked by fighter-bombers.
Targets in Berlin and enemy movements in the areas of Bremen, Hamburg, Stendal and Magdeburg were attacked last night by light bombers.
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/
