LITTLE CHANGE

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 116, 11 February 1944, Page 5

LITTLE CHANGE

Fierce Fighting In Italy U.S. TROOPS SCALING MONTE CASSINO (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) LONDON, February 10. Heavy fighting continues in Italy, both in the Anzio beach-head, where the enemy continues to shell our positions, and is maintaining his probing attacks, and in the Cassino sector, where American troops are meeting with strong resistance from pill-boxes in the streets of the town. Bad weather limited operations on the Eighth Army front, but our aircraft continued their attacks on enemy communications and transport.

This news is given in today’s communique from Allied headquarters. Correspondents in the beach-head, cabling last night, said that our lines were unchanged. Americans attacking Monte Cassino, north of the town, were said to be within 75 yards of the German concrete pillboxes outside the monastery at its top, and to be advancing slowly. The British United Press correspondent at Allied headquarters says that German pressure is increasing against the beachhead south of Rome after a lull in which both sides have massed their forces for the expected big battle. The Allied troops, in fierce hand-to-hand fighting, have thrown back four fairly heavy German night attacks and also held up an armoured attack.

The latest German assaults, however, lack the punch of the first storming drives, when th’ Germans apparently hoped to split th? beach-head into small pockets and drive the .Allies back into the sea. They have been probing attacks to give the German command an indication of Allied strength in the various sectors of the perimeter before a renewed employment of their massed forces and the real battle for the beach-head is still ahead. ' The Latest Fighting. According to the latest reports the fighting of the last few hours has produced only minor changes. The Germans at one point threw tanks into a short, bitter struggle. Infantry swarmed up behind the armour while great German siege gpns rained hundreds of shells into one small sector. Then the' barrage lifted and the German tqnks and infantry stormed forward to try and punch a hole in the British lines, but were beaten back simultaneously. More probing assaults are being made against our lines. It is still anybody’s guess when the main attack will be renewed. British and American treops are consolidating ready for it. xVhlle our patrols are busily probing for fatal German weak spots round the perimeter. Savage fighting continues at Cassino, where Germans still hold the major portion of the town, in addition to the crest of Monte Cassino. and the monastery American artillery is laying down terrific barrages. British and American troops have driven a wedge between Cassino and the Gejman positions on Monte Cassino. Cairo radio has declared that the garrison of Cassino is now completely encircled. The British further deepened their lower Garigliano bridgehead and have advanced north-east of Castelforte against heavy opposition. Troops of the Army ambushed an enemy patrol which penetrated the Orsogna area equipped with flame-throwers. Enemy Claims Success. Today's German High Command communique states that the Germans advanced several miles in the Nettuno area and captured 700 prisoners. They repelled strong counter-attacks from enemy tanks and infantry. The German news agency has declared that the German troops in Southern Italy have nassed over to the attack against the British and American forces in the Anzio beach-head. The attack was launched on the Carrocele sector from the west, north, and north-east. The Germane pierced the enemy positions at several points and attained their assigned objectives.

A further German report said that the Allies’ resistance has stiffened, particularly at Chrrocele.

The correspondent of the combined Press at Anzio says: “We hear echoes of dramatic stories circulating in the world’s capitals that the Allies are throwing back fierce and determined German coun-ter-attacks. There will be no mistaking Jt when the big attack comes. It has not come yet.” Rome radio declared that the Allies have been hemmed in a space 12 miles long, and six miles deep. It added that the Fifth Army counter-attacked strongly, using reserves and fresh tank formations. The Gorman news agency said that the Americans have launched large scale tank attacks north of Cassino. Fifth Army headquarters has issued a, statement saying that the enemy’s 210millimetre guns are 'believed to have a range of 38,000 yards. Consequently, the tip of Anzio Point would be within range of Albano, 20 miles distant. A British correspondent reports that three Germans on cne sector of the Fifth Army front today drove a flock of sheep toward our lines to find out whether we had set anti-personnel mines. “There 'may or may not have been mines at the front today.” he says, “but it is certain there will be mutton ehops tonight.” A correspondent says the Gormans cannot risk a failure in the beach-head area, because that worn! mean disaster to their forces further south, so it is likely that they will not make their major attack against the bench-head till they have built up more forces.

CRITICAL COMMENT

Conduct Of Beach-head Attack

LONDON, February 9. The Anzio beach-head continues to be commented on rather glumly. There are daily post-mortems, which do not tend to throw any satisfactory light on the situation. The most debated question is whether the landing force should have immediately taken advantage of the initial surprise by carrying out deep raids and temporarily disorganizing the German lines of communication between Rome and the Gustav Line. So far the only answer is that General Alexander must obviously have considered such action but must have rejected it in order to adhere to his original plan. The “Daily Telegraph,” in a leader, replies to the question whether the conduct of the forces in the bridge-head has been incompetent or deeply disappointing by stating that the answer depends on what was the purpose of the landing.. It expresses the opinion that it Was to induce the enemy to thin out or abandon the Gustav Line. The “Telegraph” admits that so far that purpose has not been achieved, but asks whether it would have been if parties had been sent out on deep raids, j Au interesting item of news comes from the “Daily Express” correspondent at Anzio. He reports that the Allies have established their first tighter airfield in the bridge-head. It has been developed from a landing strip prepared by bulldozers to a complete fighter unit. The Correspondent believes it is perhaps the reason why the Germans lost 19 out of the 120 aircraft which attacked on Februarj’ 7. Great Deal at Stake. It is observed that the Germans have thrown in more aircraft against the beach-head than were expected. This may have had something to do with the initial delay in getting supplies ashore. Field-Marshal Kesselring has also moved troops from France and northern Italy despite a month of intensive bomhing of his roads and railways. The “Daily Herald" correspondent in Italy pays a tribute to Kesselring for holding the perimeter of the beach-head with seasoned troops while he adjusted the front against the Fifth Army, withdrew crack units, brought an infantry division from southern France, and moved tanks from northern Italy, “all cal-

the hurried actions of a man dazed by surprise.” He adds: “The situation has developed into another Salerno. The German aim now is apparent. It is to hold the Fifth Army and concentrate on wiping out the beach-head. If we hoid the Germans and beat them back and back, Rome will be ours and 100,000 German troops will be trapped. If we don't hold the beach-head the Germans will have won a great military and political victory. The fighting in the next 10 days will probably decide the question.”

ALLIED AIR ATTACK

Sorties At Three-A-Minute Frequency

LONDON, February 9.

Allied aircraft yesterday made great use of the clear weather over Italy. All day long, hour after hour, they took off to make attacks at the rate of nearly three a minute. Altogether, about 1500 sorties were flown, and not one Allied plane was lost. Heavy bombers attacked rail targets at Verona and near Florence. Other heavy bombers attacked airfields the Germans have been using nearer Rome. South of Rome, wave after wave of medium and fighter bombers sent down a continual hail of bombs and shells on the Germans massing around the Anzio ■bridgehead. Cisterna was paid special attention.

Five German planes were shot down during the day. A correspondent, writing “from the beach-head, says the Germans are doing all they can to build up their anti-aircraft guns against our mounting attacks. This was before yesterday’s big air assault. He says that the Allied bombing has suddenly put a brake on the enemy’s ground movement, but he is still doing nil he can to build up his strength around the beachhead. It is also reported that he is preparing strong defences area,/