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Zurich Herald, 1945-01-04, Page 6A WHITE CHRISTMAS IN ICRINKELTER FITTING TRIBUTE to the men who fight on far-off fronts this up over the snowy wastes of no-man's-land. James Thrasher's editorial men. BY JAMES THRASHER, NEA Staff Writer They had plenty of snow for a white Christmas in Krinkelter — snow that stung your face as the North Sea swept it across the Belgian lowlands; snow that made walking slow and heavy; snow in gray clouds that pinned air support to the ground and left things pretty much up to the infantry; snow that made you a sitting -duck target in your OD uniform; snow that melted and soaked and froze if you fell in it. DREGS OF GERMAN MANPOWER While Germany apparently was massing its "crack" .troops behind the lines for the current counter -offensive, the Volkssturm — Ger- man People's Army comprising old men and boys -- was dispatched to defend the Siegfried Line. But the above members didn't stay in the fight for long — they were captured by Allied Army Forces. 82 ... AND STILL SWINGING Connie Mack celebrates 82nd birthday in Los Angeles, where he is enjoying one of his rare vacations. The only manager the Philadel- phia Athletics ever had gives signs behind a catcher's mitt just as he did 60 years ago, an indication, no doubt, that h^ will still run the works at Shibe Park in 1945. h Christmas is this striking photograph of Allied infantrymen moving expresses our deep appreciation for the selfless service of our fighting A white Christmas, and back home some luckier guys were having a hot turkey dinner, and a cigar afterwards, and dry clothes and a fire. But up here the Krauts had forgotten to take time off for the 'holiday. They were hell-bent on going places and somebody had to stop thein, Christmas or no Christmas. So they walked across the fields• outside of Krinkelter on Christ- mas„ with guns slung over their shoulders and cold feet in their boots. • And some of them thought., ''Well, maybe next year." JOYOUS JAILBREAK Pushing joyously from jail in the Alsatian border town of Hague- nau, where they had been imprisoned by the Naz:s for political of- fenses, the French women above were some of 300 freed when the Nazis left town as the:.Allies moved in. Many had.been in jail two years. CANADA'S .STI-.. WINNER OF V,C. Canada's Eighth and British Columbia's.Fifth winner of the coveted Victoria Cross is Pte. Ernest Alvia (Smoky) Smith, 30, the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada. "Smoky", The one man Army as he is known, showed outstanding courage and determination in establishing a bridgehead over the Savio River 'which led to the capture of the Town of Cesena. At point black range, he destroyed two German tanks, and shot it out with the tank borne infantry. Eighth Canadian in this war to win the highest award for valour in the British Empire, Pte. Smith es the first Canadian V.C. of the pre- sent war below the rank of commis- sioned officer. He hails from the same town, New Westminster, B.C., as Major ?o Mahony, who was awarded the V.C. in July. Twice Wounded Twice wounded before the bril- 'liatn action which. won him the Victoria Cross, Smith had been m action with the Seaforth High- lander throughout their long and tough campaign in Sicily and. Italy, with the exception of two months spent- in hospital in North Africa. He was first wounded in Sicily on August 4, 1943, and was shipped to North .Africa for hospitalization. He was wounded again in February 1944, when the Seaforths crossed the shell -torn Moro river, blocking the road to Ortona. Pte. Smith was born at New 1Vestminister on May 3, 1914, and lived there until he enlisted in the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada on March 5, 1040. He has been over- seas since July 18, 1940. "Smoky" and his two brothers are serving in the Canadian Active Army, Jack, aged 25, is with the Canadian Scottish "somewhere in Europe," and Burton, father, of three children is with the Saint Johan Fusiliers. • . Text of Citation Following is the complete citation covering the award of the ',Victoria Cross to Pte. Smith: "In Italy on the night of 21-22 October, 1944, a Canadian infantry WHY REDS ARE SLOWED ON POLISH FRONT • GGAki A lIL-? The nearer the Russians drive to Berlin, the tougher they find the going because (1) the German supply .nes have thus been shortened and, by the same token, the Reds' supply routes, some of which run all the way back to the "Urals, have bac.1 le g':iicieed, as shown on map above; (2) muddy terrain in Po - and. where freezing weather cox^n i se. i wa r„ later than on the Steppes, cause's mechanized trans- port to bog down, as in inset n , i r • 11 order to Shorten their supply lines, Russians are moving Whole factories nearer the froth; ru, , ,.....e Y'ux,i oads to teach up to the fighting lines, brigade was ordered to establish a bridgehead across the Savio river. The Seaforth Highlanders of Can- ada were selected as the spearhead of the attack and in weather most unfavorable to the operation they crossed the river and captured their objective, in spite, of strong opposi- tion from the enemy. 'Torrential rain had caused the Savio river to rise six feet in five hours and as the soft vertical banks made it impossible to bridge the river no tanks or anti-tank guns could be taken across the raging stream to tire' support of the rifle companies. ""As the right forward company was. consolidating its objective it was suddenly counter -attacked by a troop of three Mark Five Pan- ther tanks supported by two self- propelled guns and about thirty in- fantry. The situation appealed al- most hopeless. Inspiring Leadership "Linder heavy fire from the ap- • proaching enemy tanks, Pte. Smith showing great initiative and inspir- ing -leadership led his Piat group of two men across an open field to a position from which the Piat could best be employed. Leaving one man on the weapon, Pte. Smith crossed the road with a companion and ob- tained another Piat. Almost in- mediately an enemy tank came down the road firing its machine- guns- along the ,line -'of the' ditches. Pte. Smith's comrade. was wounded. At a range of 10 feet and having to expose himself to the full view of the enemy, Pte. Smiith fired the Piat and hit the tank, putting it out of action. Tea German infantry immediately jumped off the back of the tank and charged him with schmeissers and grenades. Without hesitation Pte. Smith moved out onto" the road and at point blank -range with his tominy gun killed four Germans and drove the re- mainder back. Almost immediately another tank opened fire and more enemy infantry closed in on Smith's postion. Obtaining sone aban- doned tominy gun magazines from a ditch, he steadfastly held his posi- tions protecting Itis comrade and -fighting .the enemy with his tommy gun until they fill lly gave up and withdrew in disorder. "One tank and both self-propel- led guns had been destroyed by this time but another tank swept the area with fire from a longer range. Pte. Smith still showing titter con- tempt for enemy fire helped his wounded comrade to cover and ob- tained medical aid for hint behind a nearby building. He then return- ed to his position beside the road to await the possibility of a further .enemy attack. • • Bridgehead Held "No 'further immediate attack de- veloped and as a result the battal- ion was able to consolidate •tbe bridgehead postion so vital to the ,success of the • whole operation Which led -to the eventual capture of an Lorgio Cosene and a further advance to the Ronco river. "Thus by dogged determination outstanding devotion to duty and superb gallantry of this private sol cher, his comrades were so inspired that •the bridgehead was held against all enemy attacks pending the arrival of tanks and anti-tank guns some hours later."