GAINS IN ITALY

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 January 1944, Page 5

GAINS IN ITALY

rapido river crossed

FRENCH STORM VILLAGES

LONDON, January. 17. French troops of the sth Army have captured the village of San Elis five miles east of Cassino, says tn-dav’s Allied communique on the fighting in Italy. Canadians m the coastal sector ot the Bth Army front made a slight advance against stiff opposition. “The Times’s” Algiers correspondent says: The American attack on Monte Trocchio resulted in its capture with remarkable speed. It was preceded by effective precision bombing by two air support squadrons These were American airmen. They blasted a pathway for infantry. The bombing was begun 700 yards ahead of the ground troops. Air photographs show a perfect pattern of bombs. An ammunition dump was directly hit. There was a limited number of check points. The enemy used smoke-pots to conceal positions. Air tactics employed by this flight were developed during a year’s intense activity from Tunisia to Italy. These airmen specialised in this type of precision work. Previously they operated mainly with the Bth Army along the Adriatic.

AMERICAN PROGRESS.

RUGBY, January 18

The crossing ot the River Rapido. near Cassino, is reported by a correspondent at Allied Headquarters, who says that the French troops of General Juin, who on Sunday reached a point about 1000 yards from San Elia, yesterday stormed and captured the tiny fortified village. Pushing forward, they also captured the hamlet of Valvori, on high ground two miles further north. Patrols have reached the east side of the Rapido River. Further south, American patrols have reached the other side of the Rapido north of Cassino. After crossing the river, they did not make contact with the enemy until, they came up against very strong fortified positions 300 yards above the river. It now seems that the Germans have lost the high ground north-east of San. Elia. Elsewhere on the sth Army front, where the weather is fine in the coastal sector and gales are raging in the mountainous area, our patrols are still very active. On the Bth Army front the Canadians launched an attack on a 1000-yards front one mile from San Tommaso. Supported by tanks, they met fierce opposition, but managed to cross a small stream and gained a foothold on the other side, where fierce fighting is still in progress. Gales are also raging in the mountains on the Bth Army sector, and snow is falling heavily.a erial offensi VE

RUGBY, January .18

Heavy and medium bombers resumed, ' yesterday, the combined offensive and concentrated their efforts on the enemy supply lines between Rome and Florence. Fighters and fighter-bombers were active ahead of the Fifth Army and scored hits on the docks at Anzio, 25 miles south-west of Rome, and the railways yards at Palo between Rome and Civitavecchia. Fires were started at Targinia, north-west of Rome, and bridges and defended positions were attacked at several inland points.

Fighter-bombers continued their attacks on enemy positions and shipping along the Dalmatian coast, scoring hits on a camouflaged merchantman. in Sibenik Harbour. Three small vessels were strafed near Split.

Escorted heavy bombers, yesterday, bombed railway communications at Prato, Contassio, and Arezzo. All our planes returned. HHwiy bombers attacked targets Lift Floence and medium bombers targets 40 miles north of Rome.

JUGOSLAV WSISTANCE

RUGBY, January 18

The importance of Jugoslav resistance was underlined in a Commons statement in which the War Minister (.Sir J. Grigg) summarised the progress of the fighting in the past few weeks. -At the beginning of December, he said, “the enemy launched a widespread offensive against the Jugoslav National Army of Liberation. In general, this large-scale German offensive was a failure in Central Bosnia, where it is still in progress. The Partisan Army has been supplied with war material by the Allies to the full extent to which the military situation has permitted. Partisan operations on numerous occasions have been supported by our air forces, and close liaison has been maintained by Aided officers in Jugoslavia. “The Partisan Army at one lime or another during the period has been ably employed elsewhere in large areas of Jugoslavia entirely under partisan control. Further, by their interruption of German, sea, road and rail communications the Partisans have inflicted a heavy burden on the German organisation of supplies.”

TITO WOUNDED

CAIRO, January 18

Advice has been received that Marshal Tito has been wounded during operations in Montenegro.