NETTUNO BEACHHEAD

Evening Star, Issue 25083, 26 January 1944, Page 5

NETTUNO BEACHHEAD

Firm Footing Over 15 Miles

Allies Approaching Naples-Rome Railway

Press - Association—By Telegraph—Copyright

(Rec. noon.) RUGBY, January 25, The position on the Nettuno beaches is now clarified, reports a correspondent at the front. "We hold an area 15 miles long and some miles deep in a circle. The Germans are recovering from their first surprise, and are massing for counter-attack. Patrols of the enemy got across the bridges on the Mussolini Canal on our right flank, but all were pushed back by to-day.

The enemy is active also in the air, but not in great strength. Last night he attempted a raid at dusk on shipping in the British sector. The A.A. fire was.a spectacular sight. There is no doubt that the enemy will try to hold us off tho high ground at Colli Laziali with a policy of vigorous counterattack, but there is equally no doubt that we shall be able to hold him.

To-day hit-and-run raids on shipping continue, and the weather is improving again. .

According to a United Nations commentator for the Algiers radio, the beachhead south of Rome has been pushed inland just over 12 miles, and is within one and a-quarter miles of the double track of the Rome-Naples electric railway. German resistance to the new landing in Italy began to stiffen on Sunday evening, says a correspondent at Alfied headquarters. The. opposition probably came from enemy combat troops, but despite this the Allied gains have been consolidated. Patrols pushing further inland past the 12-mile perimeter of the bridgehead may have reached the Eome-Capua road.

In the meantime the landing of stores and equipment continues on the beaches with scarcely any opposition.

The actual bridgehead is out of range of all enemy guns except long-range 170 m.m. guns, and shells- fall only once iru a while. The main difficulties come from profusely-laid mines both on land and in the:sea. Anzio particularly was heavily mined. The French on the Fifth Army front repulsed counterattacks and kept their grounds The Americans also repulsed a German onslaught, and patrols probed deeply into the enemy lines. At Minturno it is believed that the German Fifty-fourth Infantry Division lost no fewer than half its combat forces.