FIFTH ARMY DRIVE

Grey River Argus, 15 January 1944, Page 5

FIFTH ARMY DRIVE

UPON CASSINO Cervaro Occupied [Aust. & N.Z. Press Assn.l (Rec. 12.20) LONDON. Jan. 14. The whole Anglo-American-French line in Italy is moving forward, stated the Algiers radio, lhe Finn Armv according to the Rome radio, is making one attack after a not hpL and Cassino appears to be the aim of the renewed thrusts. It is an insignificant small village, which the enemy, propaganda has depicted as an immensely strong fortified town. An Algiers Allied communique reports American and French troops from the Fifth Army continued, to drive through rugged country against the fierce enemy resistance, taking several peaks. Allied troops have repulesed an enemy counter-attack which was designed to retake Cervaro. and advanced beyond the town On the Eighth Army front British and New Zealand troops improved their positions. Patrols from both armies probed deep into enemy territory gaining valuable information and 'taking prisoners.

Cervaro Captured ALLIES NEARER CASSINO. LONDON, Jan. 13. American troops lighting for Monte Caprara, near Cervaro, captured i and completely occupied the village It was announced on Thursday that Cervaro was in Allied hands. •' A military commentator on the Algins radio stated: Allied troops Dressing forward in the Cassino corridor, captured further enemy strongpoints on Wednesday and the Fifth Army! seized a ring of heights around Cervaro. ; . Reuter’s'Algiers correspondent stated: Strong American patrols are now driving beyond Cervaro. Patrols are moving' across fiat open country near Pastinelle, a hamlet three miles from Cassino. Bitter lighting is going on farther south, where British and American troops are driving forward into the lower slopes pt Monte Troccio, the last mountain barrier blocking Cassino Pass. One British and two American thrusts are being made against eastern and southern slopes of this height. They are prising the enemy out of the rocky strongpoints at the bayonet point and blowin" them from holes with grenades. Allied troops attacking south-west of Roccheta progressed to a depth of 1000 yards at some points, reaching positions overlooking the road to Antino. The capture of this road would crack Cassino’s northern anchor. A war correspondent says Cervaro is four miles east of Cassino and dominates the approaches to Cassino itself, the Fifth Army being in a position to launch the final attacks on the town. During the past several days Bntish and American infantrymen have fought ferociously against stiff German resistance in the mountains surrounding this village. Although the Germans had constructed what they believed to be formidable defences m depth the Allied infantrymen inched ahead, taking first one dominating height and then another. This battle raged on under the most seveie mountain conditions, but the Germans slowly retreated. Prisoners captured throughout the fighting for the Cassino corridor, stated they had been ordered to hold out to the last. EI.GHTH ARMY. LONDON, Jan. 13.

Patrolling and artillery) duels are the principal activity on the Eighth Army front. The nature of the lighting shows an increased tendency towards close hand-to-hand combat. Artillery and mortars continue to roar across No Man’s Land, but the opposing infantry are continually drawing closer to one another, and sharp patrol clashes are occurring in the coastal sector. Artillery barrages have started large fires m the German held town of Orsogna. French Successes LONDON, Jan. 18. French troops of the Fifth Army, have taken Monte Raino and Monte Mollino, both of which changed hands several times. The Allies now hold the high ground overlooking Acquafondata. A number of German prisoners were taken by the French. French troops, south-west of the road, are now fighting fiercely, sealling the 4000 ft peak, which Is one of the toughest features in this area. The heights reported m tne communique as captured by the are around the village of Acquafondata. The French movement is gaining momentum, squeezing Acquafondata from two directions. A war correspondent message, describing the French advance states that the French troops of the Fifth Army, under General Juin, had a great day, yesterday, fighting in the northern'. portion of the line southwest of Rocchetta'. They launched attacks in the mountainous districts and made progress at several points to a depth of 1000 yards at the most northern point of the sector. A peak 3000 feet high was captured at tne point of the bayonet. On the south road fierce fighting is taking place for Monte Casale, a large range with the highest peak 4000 feet high. With the capture of Monte Raino and Monte Mollino they are now overlooking Acquafondata.

ROME BOMBED

By 90 Allied Planes CITY AND SUBURBS. LONDON, Jan. 13. The home radio announced that Rome was bombed at noon to-day. An Allied air communique says that yesterday, bad flying weather limited operations. Medium bombers, however attacked railway junctions and bridges at Arce. Fighter-bombers attacked enemy positions near Orsogna. Two enemy* aircraft were destroyed end three of ours are missing. Despite unfavourable weather medium bombers attacked rail installations in Yugoslavia, and bridges in th°e vicinity of Arce, ahead of the Fifth Army on the road to Rome. Fiahter bombers in a sweep over the Dalmatian coast were attacked about 12 enemy aircraft, two of which were shot down without loss. Baltimores bombed Palena, causing fires and explosions. . . A Navv communique states that during Monday night out destroyers continued to harass rail traffic nn the east coast of Italy. Return fi?efrom the shore batteries at caused no damage. They also shelled Pedaso, where they started TTie fi two destroyers which bombarded the east coast of Italy yesterday? were the Tyrian and the Grenon® A' F heavvi bombers attacked the , Mnr’ installations at Piraeus durnight; says a Middle East Idr Communique. The bombing was a ail concentrated and many bursts we 11 c ° on an d near the quays, nne large and several smaller fires Parted and were still visible when our aircraft were well on th oh ret WedSdw y ' two supply J?°f e was blown out of the water and pother set on fire and left sinking.

None of our aircraft is missing. (Rec. 7.50) LONDON, Jan. 13. Rome ißadio stated that Allied bombers which were strongly escorted by fighter planes, attacked Rome at noon on Thursday. The radio sayjs that numerous bombs were dropped on the city and on the suburbs. The Allied planes flew over the Vatican City. The German News Agency says: The enemy bomber formations which flew over Rome on Thursday consisted of ninety planes. There was certain unrest among the population when low-flying formations appeared. Anti-aircraft guns outside of the city went into action, and German fighters took off. A series of dogfights were fought over Rome at a height of between six thousand and twentyfive thousand feet. A heavy bomb fell about 220 yards from the boundary .of the Vatican City. It failed to explode.

SOUTHERN ITALY

Typhus Spreading POLITICAL ACTIVITY. LONDON, Jan. 13. A typhus epidemic in Naples is raging 50 times stronger than last October, says an announcement from United States Army Headquarters in the Middle East. Brigadier-General Leon Fox, Director of the United States typhus Commission, who has .just returned to Cairo from Italy said that Naples is seriously threatened ’ and that the menace can be expected to spread to Southern Italy. No cases have yet been reported among military personnel, but the growing typhus rate is a potential menace to the Allied military effort. The authorities are daily treating over 30,000 Italians with anti-vermin powders. Medical flying squads are ready to go to outlying districts if the epidemic spreads. NEW YORK. Jan. 13. The rigid ban on political activity In Southern Italv imposed by the A.M.G.O.T. has been relaxed, reports the “New York Times’s” Washington correspondent. Political meetings are now permitted, provided they do not interfere with the prosecution of the war. Furthermore, the Allies apparently intend to abolish the A.M.G.O.T. rule as rapidly as possible except in the forward areas. The Allied Control Commission, on which Russia' is represented, does not wish to assume the responsibility for the administration of Italy, but merely to see that any Italian Government represents the majority of the people. It is firmly believed that a representative Italian Government cannot be achieved at least until the Allies free Rome. Some argue that the industrial masses .of Northern Italy must first be allowed a voice in the formation of a Government.