GERMAN WITHDRAWAL

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

GERMAN WITHDRAWAL

THE COASTAL SECTOR

,Uy MesrapU-Prcss Assodatlou-CopyrighlJ LONDON, May 30.

The German troops withdrew yestordav from the coastal sector between Nettuno Tnr the Tynh«Jwiflg* of the southern front t° /Mountain positions north-east of the Appian Wnv This is admitted tonight by the figThe ngßritish occupied Arce yesterEfftUSise flehtins is going on. PROGRESS SATISFACTORY. TCesselnnE is establishing a very SribedM Still satisfactory says brea™-through to Rome, are v keeping ur heavy artillery fire from the Alban Hills especially in the Valmontone sector The majority of the Hermann Goering panzer division are now. eniaged in trying to stem the American taThe Germans north of Artena have been forced to divert traffic from Sway 6 which is under American gunfire, to the secondary roads. The German news agency claims that the Germans in this; sector^ supported by a massed array of rocket gunsT and flame-throwers pressed the Americans back from Highway 6. The British United Press correspondent says that the three main noints of the German line—Valmontone, Velletri, and Campojemim-are being firmly held. The Germans rushed up reinforcements and have intensified their artillery fire in the Valmontone area for the doubly purpose of preventing the severance of Highway 6 and maintaining a flank anchor for their new line. The best indications are that Kesselring trating in an attempt to stabilise this Slid thereby give the Germans from the Liri Valley time to retreat past Valmontone. . "The Times" correspondent says that the Germans are only roughly established along a line from Valmontone tc the sea, which is probably not yet properly organised. Mines have been laid hastily, without even an attempt being made to cover them. All available engineer companies are working double time constructing defences, while survivors of the divisions which were knocked to pieces around Cisterna are being hastily reorganised under experienced officers. Everything seems to be staged for a fresh trial of strength -in a few days. .... In a Memorial Day speech at Nettuno, General Mark Clark said: "We stand on the threshold of Rome, and before many days we will have freed this first of the European capitals from Nazi tyranny." , _ , * The correspondent of the Exchange Telegraph Company says that the Fifth Army has now captured about 12,000 prisoners, including 5300 taken on the northern front. PRODIGIOUS ENEMY LOSSES. The "Daily Express" military writer, Morley Richards, says that the tenacity of. the German rearguards is a good thing because the enemy casualties are mounting prodigiously. Mr. Richards claims that nearly half of the 12 German divisions engaged in this area _lßo,ooo men at their full strength have been put out of action since the beginning of the Allied offensive on May 11 He adds: "Every hour it becomes more probable that there will be no sustained battle for Rome itself —probably no fighting near enough to damage the city seriously." The German commentators tonight made no attempt to conceal the gravity cf Kesselring's position. The Berlin radio spokesman, General Dletmar, said: "The battle of Italy has entered