BARRAGE IN MOUNTAINS

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 24123, 6 December 1943, Page 5

BARRAGE IN MOUNTAINS

f HEAVY SHELLING AIDS 1 _ STH ARMY I 'HEIGHTS TAKEN ABOVE I ROME ROAD I (BOW) RUGBY. Dec. 4. B The sth Army’s attack was preceded i by the greatest artillery barrage yet 9 seen in Italy, according to press mes--9 sages from Allied Headquarters. The S barrage began at noon on Thursday, ■ when light showers were falling. The i attack was made at night. It went B according to plan, and important posi--1 tions on and in the immediate vicinity 9 of Mount Camino (2800 ft, four miles I south-west of Mignone) were capB hired. The sth Army has advanced | over extremely rough ground, both | north and south of the Capua-Rome | road. , | “While Mount Camino is being I seized, peak by peak, Allied troops a little further north are making an equally devastating and successful attack on the next massif, Mount Maggiore,” reports a war correspondent with the sth Army. He describes the artillery support in this area as ‘‘absolutely colossal. ’ He says; “The troops, working up a razorback ridge running north->vest of Mignano, cleared pocket after pocket of scared Germans, who had thought themselves dug in for the winter. “The whole operation, which opens ' a further stretch of the road to Rome, has been a big blow to the enemy. The 6th Army is still only in the approaches to the Germans’ winter line, but—so far so good. Concentrated Shelling “The artillery support on Mount Camino took the form of a succession of pulverising blows swinging rapidly from one target to another. There Were eight main targets among the mountain peaks. Gun batteries, defensive positions, and supply routes tooK a battering again and again. . “Hundreds of guns— 2s-pounders, ziediums, and heavies—would concentrate on a small area, under 300 yards square, and in five minutes or so would Explode 5000 shells or more than 150 thru of steel and high explosive in that area. Then the fire would be lifted and the same weight brought down on the next target. , “In the first eight hours 1400 tons I?ere sent over. “Batteries of light anti-aircraft guns tofere used to fire over open sights at d range of 700 yards at Germans sheltering in caves or dugouts. “The Germans put up little counterbattery fire and hardly any defensive Are when the infantry began, in pouring rain, to seize the heights. There was some mortar and machine-gun fire but from the start, the Allied troops bad the. upper hand. “Three great ridges fell in the next 24 hours. As the Germans were forced out the Allied troops moved in and decupled their comfortable quarters. “The dazed Germans surrendered, . dOmetimes by whole companies. There .■■ Was no counter-attack whatever. ’(G j “Meanwhile the Allied supply were being assured and the Aground taken consolidated. With the ferny’s well constructed positions all for occupation the Allies felt secure and certain of themselves.” “Full-scale Offensive” The Algiers correspondent of the Associated Press of America, quoted by the New Zealand Press Association, de- ' scribes the sth Army’s attack as “a full-scale offensive,” driving towards Rome. The Algiers radio says that more . than 600 guns hammered the German Positions, concentrated ’ on the area ’ north of Mignano. Allied fighters and fighter-bombers laid down bomb patterns just ahead of General Clark’s advancing troops. Waves of bombers . swept the Cassino area 10 miles beyond the most advanced elements of the sth Army. Reuter’s Algiers correspondent says that the sth Army has taken Calabrito and other important positions on the top and round Mount Camino. From there, he says, the British and American forces thereafter advanced north of Camino. “The sth Army is hammering both flanks of the German de- 4 fences, which are blocking access to the Capua-Rome highway.” The British United Press correspondent with the sth Army says that the " rj tish and American forces which took the Mount Camino massif—the ' , 2? ain Apennine barrier on the way to - . i 4 ° l lne T £ca l e( f the peaks under torren- ;• «al rai n> The Germans, he says, rolled

rocks down on the troops. This increased the casualties but the losses were light in view of the importance of the operation. Allied infantry moved up only five minutes behind the creeping artillery barrage. A communique from Air Headquarters says that heavy bombers yesterday attacked the Casale airfield while medium bombers and light aircraft were very active over the battle area. Co-operation with the Army was extremely efficient. A number of air combats occurred. Light bombers on Thursday night attacked Dalmatian ports and communications in Italy. Eleven enemy aircraft were destroyed. One Allied aircraft is missing. Enemy aircraft attacked the Bari area on Thursday evening. They caused some damage and a number of casualties. WarhaWks, Kittyhawks, Bostons, and Baltimores pounded the enemy positions, motor transport, and railways. Bostons bombed warehouses, railway yards, docks, and communications between the front and Rome. German efforts to Interfere were defeated. Five enemy concentrations of aircraft were intercepted and six aircraft were destroyed. , “Gauleiter of Britain” Killed.—Prince Hubertus of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, once reported to be Hitler’s choice as “Gauleiter of Britain,” has been killed in action while serving in the Luftwaffe as a courier pilot, according to . the Swiss radio. Hubertus was related to half the ruling houses of Europe. His father, Duke Karl Eduard, was born m England.—London, December 3.