4/7/1944. 6.= pm. Rich. Wessel
The Canadians in their new attack on the eastern part of the Normandy
front within a few hours fought their way into Carpiquet. Several 100
American heavies attacked airfields in France this morning.
Rather fewer flying bombs came over in the last 24 hours. Carpiquet, now
captured, is on the road and rail from Bayeux to Caen. The Canadians
stormed their way into the town. The RAF bombed the Luftwaffe out
of the airfield there but it is heavily defended. The base of the British
salient across the Odon has been widened. The American front line
is 13 miles straight on the map. Saint-Jores has been captured yesterday
evening. Our Mitchells set a fuel dump in a wood some 30
miles from Caen on fire. The number of aircraft, Fortresses and
Liberators, escorted, attacking this morning is between
250 and 500. Study of the weather in the period 1925-1939 during
June gives 4 days of mud in June and now we had 9 days.
Less propelled explosives came over Southern England. Mr.
Eden was asked why Mr. Churchill's statement on the flying
bombs could not be given today. He said that last night
the war cabinet decided the best would be to give the declaration
on Thursday. In Russian the Red Army's summer offensive
rolls on. The Germans say the Soviet tanks pressed into Minsk
and pushed on to the West. In the hand of two armies alone
270.000 Germans fell. Borisow was only captured 3 days ago
and according to the Germans the Russians already use
it. At Minsk civilians broke into a German arm's depot
and distributed the arms. Polotzk was entered yesterday
|