Supreme HQ Allied Expeditionary Force (March 14, 1945)
FROM
(A) SHAEF MAIN
ORIGINATOR
PRD, Communique Section
DATE-TIME OF ORIGIN
141100A 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. 340
UNCLASSIFIED: Allied forces in the Remagen bridgehead have made gains of up to 1000 yards eastward over rugged terrain and against stubborn resistance. We reached a point four miles northeast of Remagen after an 800-yard push. Bad Honnef has been cleared but fighting continues in the suburbs. We cut the north-south road due east of Linz and reached a point two and one-half miles from the autobahn which parallels the Rhine east of the bridgehead. A tank-supported enemy counterattack was repulsed near Hargarten. We knocked out four of the six tanks in the attack. We repulsed another counterattack made by infantry northeast of Hönningen. Fighting continues in Hönningen. A pontoon bridge capable of handling light vehicular traffic to the bridgehead is in operation. The bridgehead is now four and one-half miles deep and ten and one-half miles long.
Our fighter aircraft maintained patrols over the bridgehead throughout the day and shot down ten enemy planes. The enemy pocket in the Laacher See area, southwest of Andernach, has been mopped up. Our forces now control the north bank of the Moselle River between Trier and Koblenz, with the exception of a four-mile stretch from Ediger-Eller to a point across the river from Bullay. In the area northwest of Ediger-Eller, our units cleared Dohr, Faid, Gevenich, Weiler, Urschmitt, Kliding, and Strotzbüsch.
Northeast of Wittlich we captured Kinderbeuren, Bengel and Reil. A small enemy counterattack with armor and infantry was repulsed without loss of ground in the area seven miles east of Trier. Our units have pushed eastward two and one-half miles in the wooded area nine and one-half miles east of Saarburg. They crossed the Ruwer River against light resistance. In the area seven miles southeast of Saarburg, we captured Greimerath. Between Saarbrücken and the Hardt Mountains enemy artillery and mortar fire increased.
In a raid on the northern part of Haguenau we took prisoners and captured additional houses. Enemy patrols were repulsed on the west bank of the Rhine south of Strasbourg.
Allied forces in the west captured 5,416 prisoners 12 March.
The communications center and industrial town of Barmen on the southern outskirts of the Ruhr was attacked by escorted heavy bombers yesterday. Medium and light bombers struck at railyards and communications centers at Nijdverdal in eastern Holland; Lengerich, Stadtlohn and Borken north of the Ruhr, and other railyards east of Dortmund. Rail and river traffic between Lippstadt, Siegen and the Rhine, rail targets northeast of Cologne, south to the northern Alsace frontier region, supply installations and ammunition dumps in the Saarbrücken area and a motor transport depot at Bad Kreuznach were attacked by medium, light and fighter-bombers.
Rail lines were cut in very many places both in Holland and Germany. Enemy airfields at Rheine and southwest of Frankfurt were bombed by medium and light bombers. Fighter-bombers attacked another airfield south of Stuttgart. Fortified towns between the Moselle River and the Saar River were hit by fighter-bombers. During the day, 24 enemy aircraft were shot down including the ten in the Remagen bridgehead area. According to reports so far received five of our medium and light bombers and 11 fighters are missing. Objectives in the Ruhr were attacked by heavy bombers last night. Light bombers bombed targets in Berlin. Enemy movement east of the Ruhr was attacked by other 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
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