HEAVIER BLOWS

Grey River Argus, 14 December 1943, Page 5

HEAVIER BLOWS

ON ITALIAN FRONTS BY ALLIED ARMIES Attack on Pescara Imminent GREAT ARTILLERY CONCENTRATION ON THE WEST [Aust. & N.Z. Press Assn.] (Rec. 10.10.) LONDON, Dec. 13. Reuter’s Stockholm correspondent states: The German-controlled Scandinavian Telegraph Bureau quotes Berlin officials as saying that an Allied offensive in front of the Pontine Marshes is seriously menacing the gates of Rome. The Allied artillery concentration is unparalleled in the Italian war. The Algiers radio said the Fifth Army put down an artillery barrage unprecedented in violence southwest of Venafro. Thirty thousand shells were fired in 24 hours on a single sector, with the object of softening- the German positions. Mignano, which is known to be definitely within the Allied line, was captured by the Fifth Army, according to the Vichy radio, which added the Americans are advancing from Mignano towards Cassino. The German News Agency stated that German rearguards several weeks ago evacuated Mignano. The rearguards mined the road to Rome to such a degree that the Americans are now able to make use of the locality.. k Fifth Army REPULSES STRONG ENEMY ATTACKS. LONDON, Dec. 12. The enemy is fighting fiercely on the Fifth Army front, on which there have been local engagements. Enemy counter-attacks were repulsed The Fifth Army in the centre, in' hills north of the main road to Rome is resisting German attempts to take heights dominating their positions in front of the village of San Pietro. Americans laid down a heavy barrage on the village itself. Then the Germans counter-attacked strongly. A few miles away the Germans laid down a heavy barrage on th G Allied positions followed it up with a strong infantry atA correspondent stated: The Germans made a grand style attack in an attempt to regain ground captured the previous day a mile west oi Filignano, shelling first with heavy guns before sending in the infantry. Americans rose to the occasion .and kept their hold on the height. Allied artillery smashed up- another dangerous counter-attack aimed at a height north-east of San Pietro, which was recently captured, and afterwards kept sending shells into the village. Allied fighterbombers and fighters are active ahead of the Fifth Army. Invaders bombed and strafed the railway junction of Ponte Gallera, south-east of Rome; hangars were strafed and a landing ground and radio station m the vicinity attacked.

POSITIONS FURTHER CONSOLIDATED

(Rec. 1.15) LONDON, Dec. 13. An Algiers communique says: oui positions on the Fifth Army have been further consolidated. Patrols are active. The bad weather yesterday curtailed air operations. There was no enemy activity. Our fighters and fighter-bombers on offensive patrols bombed ground taigets and destroyed a number of motor vehicles near Chieti, and also attacked Itri. Medium combers at- ’ tacked railway yards and an airfields at Terracina. Non e of our planes are missing. On Sunday bad weather hampered air operations. Light .aircraft attacked enemy communications in the province of Emilia, whicn lies between the Po and the Appenines, and airfields in the Rome area. A railway centre near Arce was attacked and a large explosion caused at San Vittore A number of motor vehicles near Chieti were destroyed. There was increased enemy fighter activity: they attacked our troops at several places, but only a few aircraft could be brought to battle. One enemy aircraft was destroyed and one Allied plane is missing. One pilot reported missing is now safe. GERMAN STAND NOT YET AT ITS HEIGHT. (Rec. 12.10) LONDON. Dec. 13. Reuter’s Stockholm correspondent savs: A German military spokesman is reported to have told neutral correspondents in Berlin that the Allies will not reach Rome before Christmas. He added that the German resistance has not yet reached its climax. Eighth Army Progress MAORIS TAKE_ VILLAGE. LONDON, Dec. 12. Repeated German c'ounter-attacks have been repulsed by the Eighth Army. It gained ground north oi the Moro River near the village, or San Leonardo. It flung back several German attacks in which the Gelmans made considerable use . . 01 tanks. Allied aircraft are giving the land troops every possible support whenever the weather permits, despite increased fighter opposition. In the San Leonardo area the Allied troops extended their bridgehead, despite very fierce resistance, which is general all over the front. An Allied communique stated:— Eighth Army forces on the coastal sector continued to advance under unfavourable weather. 'The enemy is resisting vigorously by strong ana repeated counter-attacks, supported by armour. All the cpunter-attacks were repulsed and heavy losses inflicted on the enemy. A correspondent stated: On the Eighth Army front there was one instance when shelling by our artillery was so intense that the ground was strewn with enemy dead. One of our battalions buried 200 Germans. The Eighth Army is being held up as much by the weather as by the enemy opposition. A British United Press correspondent stated: Maoris of the New Zealand Division with the Eighth Army met German Grenadiers in a bayonet clash in moonlight. The Maoris had been ordered to take an important village north of the Moro River. Supported by tanks they scaled slopes and entered the village streets where they met German infantry also advancing with fixed bayonets. A fierce fight followed. The' Maoris took a number of prisoners, including men of the 90thPanzer Grenadiers. german attacks HOLD UP EIGHTH ARMY LONDON, Dec. 12. German savage counter-attacks

supported by tanks along the Adriatic coast, brought the Eighth Arniy’s advance towards Pescara and Chieti to a virtual standstill, but they cost the Nazis dearly, says the Associated Press Algiers correspondent. Reuter’s correspondent says: Although the Eighth Army made further advances, they were limited owing to the fierce opposition and also rain-soaked terrain. The bridgehead established north of Frisa, seven miles inland from the Adriatic coast, was further enlarged. The British United Press reports: The Eighth Army’s Canadian spearheads to-night were battling with the crack German 90th Light Division on the outskirts of Ortona. The Eighth Army is also meeting strong resistance near Guardigrele.

Eighth Army Thrust TOWARDS PESCARA.

TANKS PROMINENT.

(Rec. 12.20.) LONDON, Dec. 13. Vichy radio says: General Alexander is concentrating his main attack on the Adriatic front in a thrust between Ortona and Guardia Crele. British forces in this sector are advancing with strong armoured forces. Powerful British armoured units are operating in the rear of Orsogna. Paris radio asserts that a violent Eighth Army attack on Pescara is imminent. Some reports state General Montgomery already has launched an attack on Pescara. (Rec. 1.5.) LONDON, Dec. 13. Further progress has been made on the Eighth Army front in the face of determined enemy resistance, states an Algiers Allied communique. “Our positions north of the Moro River were improved and widened. Strong enemy counter-attacks were thrown back.

GERMAN TREACHERY ALLEGED. (Rec. 8.15) LONDON, Dec. 12. Following an incident which occurred on Friday, the Canadian commander on the Moro River sector has sent a message to his men advising caution when capturing prisoners. The incident occurred north of San Leonardo. The Germans put up a stiff fight against a Canadian platoon. The Germans eventually surrendered, but when the Canadians attempted to round up the prisoners German machine-gunners opened 'fire from an .ambush and wiped out the platoon. ALLIED FORCES. MOSTLY BRITISH. (Rec 12.10 a.rn.) _ NEW YORK, Dec. -3 The “New York Times” commentator Mr. Hanson Baldwin, says: Contrarv to most American notions, the British are supplying the majority ot troops in Italy. Two British coips in the Eighth Army are composed, as far as is known of. an Indian Division, the Seventy-eighth Division possioly an airborne Canadian Division, a New Zea land Division, and an unidentified Biiusn Infantry Division. Ther e is one British Corps in the Fifth Army, composed of two British Infantry Divisions, and the Seventh Armoured Division. Mr Baldwin says: The Allies have a numerical but most important contributing factors to our advance are greater masses ot equipment, particularly field artillery, and f great air superiority.