THE ROAD TO ROME

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 136, 6 December 1943, Page 5

THE ROAD TO ROME

Fifth Army On The Move

A HACK IN THE MOUNTAINS

LONDON, D'eeember 5

The Fifth Army in Italy has gained more useful mountain positions above the road to Rome. The Eighth Army, in the east, is pushing up the main coast road beyond San Vito. On both fronts, fighting is described as heavy. On the Fifth Army front, General Clark's British and American troops arc-on the offensive against the strong German positions in the mountain slopes on both sides of the main Capua-Rome road. Rain is adding greatly to the difficulties, but our troops have made further localised, but still important, gains.

West of the main road advanced troops hold mountain positions overlooking the plains beyond the Mignano gap, and some of our forces are now seven miles south of the key town of Cassino, on the plain. On the other side of the road the Americans hold mountain strongpoints twelve miles east of Gassino. The Germans are fighting hard to prevent a break-through, and have put in many heavy counter-attacks, but they have all been held, and the Fifth Army forces continue to press forward. On the Adriatic coast sector the Eighth Army has pushed on beyond San Vito. On the main road north our forward troops are nearing the Morro River, two miles from San Vito. The Germans have destroyed the bridges. Inland, the Eighth Army is engaged against a formidable centre of resistance around Orsogna and another village nearby. We first took Orsogna after heavy fighting. Then the Germans came back with a very strong Infantry attack supported by tanks, and retook the position. Our men are now fighting hard to get it back again. The intention of the Germans here is to delay our advance on the coastal sector which must increasingly threaten the important communications town of Pescara, fifteen miles ahead of our advanced troops.' - It is known that the Germans have nine divisions in the line across Italy, and probably parts of others, and two in reserve. " • A correspondent says that in both the Fifth and Eighth Army areas of attack the trial of strength is at its height. The enemy have been heavily battered from the air, by our artillery, and by direct assault, but they' are still showing plenty of fight. Bad flying weather has prevented our aircraft from operating heavily in support of our armies, but some have been out again against gun positions and traffic, and others were on offensive missions over Yugoslavia and Albania. Other Middle East aircraft attacked the harbour in Rhodes and have been I keeping up attacks on coastal shipping in the Aegean. While Mount Camino was being seized peak by peak, Allied troops a little further north were making an equally devastating and successful attack on the next massif, Mount Maggiore, reports a correspondent with the Fifth Army. He describes the artillery support there as absolutely colossal. The troops, working up a razorback ridge running north-west of Mignano, cleared pocket after pocket of scared Germans, who had thought themselves dug in for the winter. The whole operation has been a big blow to the enemy. The Fifth Army is still only in the approaches to the winter line —but so far so good. GREAT TONNAGE OF SHELLS. "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—mountain peaks,

gun batteries, defensive positions, and supply routes—and they took a battering again and again. Hundreds of guns -^-25-pounders, mediums, and heavies — would concentrate on a small area Under 300 yards square, and in five minutes 1 or so would explode 5000 shells or over 150 tons of steel and high exolosive in that area. Then the fire would be lifted and the same Weight would be brought down on the next target. .',,,■' * Ann , In the first eight hours 1400 tons were sent over. Batteries of light antiaircraft guns were used to fire over open sights at a rarige of 3000 or 4000 yards at German troops sheltering in caves or dug-outs. -The Germans put up little counterbattery fire,, and there was hardly any defensive fire when the infantry began, in pouring rain, to seize the heights. There was mortar and machine-gun fire, but from the start the Allied troops had the upper hand. Three great ridges fell in the next 24 hours. ; As the Germans were forced out the Allies moved in and occupied their comfortable quarters. Dazed Germans surrendered sometimes in whole companies. There was no counter-attack whatever. ■ A „. , - Meanwhile the.Allied supply routes are being assured and the ground taken is being consolidated. With the enemy's well-constructed positions all ready for occupation, the Allies have felt secure and certain of themselves.

Eighth Army front and six aircraft were destroyed..

An Allied air communique says: "Heavy bombers yesterday attacked Casale airfield. Medium bombers and light aircraft were very active over the battle area, co-operation with the Army being extremely efficient. A number of air combats occurred.

"Light bombers on Thursday night atacked Dalmatian ports and also communications in Italy. .Eleven enemy planes were destroyed and one of ours is missing. "Enemy aircraft attacked the Bari area on Thursday evening, causing some damage and a number of casualties." "