Germans South Of Rome

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 127, 31 May 1944, Page 5

Germans South Of Rome

VITAL COMMUNICATIONS

LONDON, May 30. The Germans are fighting desperately to check the steady Allied pressure on their supply and escape route south of Rome. Interest centres mainly on the situation around Valmontone and the vital Highway 6, where the enemy is reacting most stubbornly. Between Valmontone and Velletri, to the south-west, the Germans are well dug in, are using many mines, and are counterattacking frequently in an all-out effort to keep the highway open. The road is well covered by the Allied guns.

South-west of Velletri the Americans have gone forward in the face of stiff enemy resistance. Allied tanks and infantry, after repelling counter-attacks throughout last night, were reported today to be striking at the German defences within 16 miles of Rome. The fall of Arce, 15 miles west of Cassino, has loosened up the Eighth Army front. British and Canadian tanks and infantry are progressing towards Frosinone, a town on the junction of Highway 6 and a secondary escape route. There are two of. these secondary roads, and British troops are pushing up from Arce on ihe other one, which runs almost due norti to AvezEano. Some 10 miles up this road is the town of Sora, and it is now .threatened by New- Zealand troops, who, in hard mountain fighting, are now close to it.

the second and decisive phase. There has been no lack of critical and even dangerous situations for the German armies in the past week. The enemy's thrusts across the Ausoni Mountains and the advance to the Sacco Valley undoubtedly constitute an attempt to split up the entire German defensive front." The German front-line reporter Reinhardt. Albrecht declared: "The Allies' policy is to hold the strong German forces in Italy and if possible make them draw on their reserves. The German policy is not to withdraw a single soldier from other fronts and to make the Allies pay Nearly for every yard. The present battle overshadows everything that has gone before it in severity." Albrecht continued: "The enemy are storming with exceptionally vpowerful concentrations against the minimum German defensive strength. The Allies are1 backed by immense masses of men, who are grinding forward like a steam-roller. -The German people must constantly bear in mind that the Italian campaign is only a feint on the grandest possible scale, aimed at pinning down the maximum German forces. The German command does not intend to play the Allied game." IN THE EASTERN SECTOR. Canadian armour and infantry of the Eighth Army are advancing slowly in the Sacco River Valley against Frosinone and have reached a point several miles beyond Ceprano. The Canadians are meeting with light opposition, but are having to deal with miles of demo-

litions. Canadian tanks are leading the advance, with lorry-borne infantry behind. Every bridge along the route was blown up by the Germans. The New Zealanders fighting across the mountains north of Cassino are now a few miles south-east of Sora. The French, who are within sight of Ceccano, yesterday captured Pofi, three miles from Frosinone without opposition. The Fifth Army, after seizing Prossedi, advanced three miles northwards. Prossedi is two and a half miles,west of.Villa San Stefano.