Germans In San Vittore

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 5, 8 January 1944, Page 5

Germans In San Vittore

LONDON, January 7J 'American troops of the Fifth Army are steadily smashing-strong German resistance in the village of San Vittore. This key-point barring the way to Cassino and the main road to Borne has been the scene of furious street fighting for three days, but the Germans3 now have only three strong-points left to them, and are getting the full weight of constant American attacks. The troops around San, Vittore are under heavy fire from German batteries in the hillsj but the enemy's positions here have been seriously weakened. . j

All along the ten-mile front on either side of the Rome road fighting is very bitter. British and American troops attacking in the snow-covered mountains have made small advances and driven deeper into the German defences protecting Cassino. A few miles north of San Vittore and seven miles west of Cassino the Americans have stormled a 3500 ft peak and from their newlywon position are threatening the enemy's secondary communication line with San Vittore. British troops advancing from the northern side of Mount Maggiore have taken some prisoners. Although the weather on the Fifth Army front was reported cold and clear today, it was too bad for any long-distance flying yesterday. The only, air activity was over the battle area. American Invader figiiterbombers attacked enemy batteries and infantry just north of San Vittore, as well as west of Cassino. Twenty miles to the north-west they made a damaging attack on a town and the main railway line. Two out of 20 enemy aircraft which appeared over the battle area were shot down. No Allied planes were lost. The news from the Eighth Army front is once again of bad weather slowing down large-scale operations. Snow has been falling, and there has been dense cloud on the high ground, but our patrols have been very aggressive and Indian troops have seized a new hill position in a short advance west of the village of San Tomaso, three miles inland from the Adriatic coast road. In this coast sector German paratroops, fighting as infantry, are active in patrol work. A correspondent with the Canadians of the Eighth Army pushing slowly up the coast towards Pescara says that the Germans are taking pains to put out of action the only port before Pescara is reached. This is a little seaside town seven miles north of Ortona, and it is being systematically razed to the ground. Nearly all its buildings have already been destroyed.