Progress Over Garjgliano

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 17, 21 January 1944, Page 5

Progress Over Garjgliano

Rec. 11 a.m. RUGBY, January 20. The British' crossings over the Garigliano have been joined up, and now extend far two miles along the seven-mile front. Minturno has been almost reached, and the troops have started up the high ground further inland. They will, however^ have a deep, wide river at their backs which must cause supply difficulties for the present. An Allied communique states: " British troops of the Fifth Army are continuing their advancff.;^n.;ibe..:!ryrrheniau Sea sector, despite stubborn enemy resistance and tw.6'.'Jheavy counterattacks. Suio, Tufo, and Argento have been captured. -Elsewhere on both army fronts patrols are active."

Algiers radio says that boats and rafts were used to cross the river and that the crossing was screened by smoke. Suio is just across the river seven miles inland. Tufo is two miles beyond the river just outside Minturno and east of that town. The crossing of the Garigliano River by British troops who are stilt fighting and holding the ground gained in face of stubborn resistance was well prepared and organised. On Monday evening a smoke screen covered the crossing. While some men swam, boat? and rafts were used to carry the assaulting forces across. Others were taken by sea across the mouth of the river, 70 yards wide. The fighting has been of a give-and-take nature in -an area strewn with minefields <and under heavy fire from machine-gun nests concealed in caves and the rough country forming Monte Aurunci, which rises in some places to 3000 feet. We continue to force the enemy away from the bank of the river. There are indications that the Germans are stiffening their resistance and are determined to strongly defend Castelforte, two miles from the river and six miles inland, s Prisoners declare'that the brunt of the fighting has fallen on the men of the re-formed German 94th Infantry Regiment, many of whom came into action for the first time. The Germans have launched several counter-attacks, supported by tanks, in the coastal sector. Further north the French are maintaining close contact i with the enemy, and in the centre American patrols have crossed the Rapido to probe the defences. The Rapido is not much of an obstacle, although bridges are employed to cross it. Its width varies from 20 to 60 feet at the confluence with the Garigliano near San Angelo. On the Eighth Army front there has been the usual patrolling and exchange of artillery fire, but little change in the1 forward positions. In the area of Crecchio, six miles from the Adriatic, in a patrol encounter there was sharp fighting during which we captured prisoners and inflicted casualties on the Germans. AIR FORCE POUNDINGS. Meanwhile, German airfields and railways throughout central Italy have again been pounded by strong forces of both heavy and medium bombers. Heavy bombers escorted by fighters well covered the airfields at Ciampino. (a Rome airfield), Centocelle, and Perugia, and inland from Ancona. Medium bombers went to Viterbo and Rieti (40 miles north-east of Rome), where stores, barracks, and dispersal areas were hit. Light bombers attacked railway facilities at Sulmona and Colleferro. Fighters and fighterbombers attacked gun positions over the battle area, rolling stock in central Italy, and shipping on the Dalmatian coast. Three enemy aircraft were destroyed, and two of ours are missing. On Tuesday night a strong force of our bombers attacked railway yards at Pontassieye. ■...'. Rome is without rail communications to the north as a result of heavy bombing in the past few days of railway targets in northern and central Italy, says a correspondent at Allied headquarters.—B.O.W.