MAIN FRONT

Grey River Argus, 2 February 1944, Page 5

MAIN FRONT

Americans Take Village (Rec. 12.5.1 LONDON, Feb. 1. (The Germans assert that the whole Italian front is on the _ move except in the central mountainous sector, which is snowbound. The German High Command stated on Monday: The enemy has increased his attacks on the southern front, particularly in the Minturno / and Ca'ssino area, where the hatties have reached great violence. ine enemy has gained slight successes. We have removed several penetrations into our main lighting area. Fighting is still in progress at other points. An Algiers report stated: The village of Cairo Monte Villa', west ol Rapido River and three miles north of Ca'ssino, has been entered by. the Americans. , “The Times’s” Algiers correspondent says: American success in the Gustav Line resulted'from a powerful well-timed attack in which tanks knocked out cunningly-devised pillboxes and strongpoints. Fighting before tank attacks across the Rapido was reported to be the bitterest since Salerno; Some of the Germans taken prisoner had been in Italy only four days. British troops in the Garigliano sector have pushed forward deeper into the Aurunci Mountains in the face of heavy resistance and captured heights two and a half miles from Castel Forte, which is now virtually surrounded. The British pushed forward into mountains, and occupied Tugga 2,000 feet high, and Torunda, 1.100 feet high, on the other side of Castel Forte. Correspondents stated American troops,, in capturing heights north of Cassino, beyond their Rapido bridgehead, broke through the Gustav Line. French Success HEIGHTS CAPTURED. LONDON, Jan. 31. The French above Cassino ’ have again encountered the fiercest mortar and grenade fire in a furious non-stop battle in which the dominating heights around Belvedere have changed hands daily since January 25. French troops took two heights on Monte Cairo, which rises to 5000 ft, five miles .north-west of Cassino. Moroccans stormed the heights, and faced very heavy counter-attacks during the night. French artillery pounded German positions throughout the day. The French consoli-

dated their position and patrolled Mount Croce. They were met by heavy mortar fire and. grenades. After fierce fighting which continued three days they broke through -the enemy defences'at Facino, with tanks and artillery support, destroying pillboxes and strong-points and forcing wired fences. The Germans are still strongly holding Cassino. An Allied communique stated: “On the main Fifth Army front hard fighting has taken place. Heights beyond the Rapido bridgehead and north .of Cassino were captured yesterday, and local advances were made in several sectors.

ALLIED SUCCESSES LOCAL. (Riec. 1.30.) LONDON. Feb. 1. Vichy radio stated: The Allies on the Fifth Army front are repeating attacks with strong, perfectlyequipped forces. The Allied offensive on the Fifth Army front has thusfar achieved only’ local successes, near Cassino and' Minturno, but the Allies are manitaining pressure without interruption. EIGHTH ARMY LONDON, J'an. 31. An Allied communique stated:— Patrols have been active along the entire Eighth Army front. LONDON, Tan. 31. An Allied report stated: The enemy on the Eighth Army front northwest of Arielli suffered casualties in patrol clashes, which are more lively and numerous. HEAVY ENEMY AIR LOSS. LONDON, Jan. 31. Sixty-three enemy planes were destroyed in the air on Sunday and many more on the ground, for the loss of six Allied planes. The British United Press correspondent at Algiers stated: The Allies have scored an eight-to-one air victory, in Italy, in the past few days, destroving a total of 153 ’planes for the loss of 19. Airfields pounded by the Allied Air Force on Sunday are shuttle bombing bases for the ’planes which the Germans are moving from the Balkans to the Italian front. Reuter’s correspondent says: The Germans on Sunday put up the oddest assortment of ’planes over Norlheast Italy in an effort to fight off the raiders, including Messerschmitts, Focke Wulfs. Heinkels, Junkers and Dorniers. The Allied, raiders at one point intercepted a flight of Junkers 52' transports which they “massacred.” Enemy air activity over the beachhead yesterday was reduced to a minimum owing to bad weather. ~ , A total of 126 enemy ’planes has been shot down ’in the last four days for the loss of 14. . Thunderbolts escorting heavy bombers, which attacked, airfields in the north-east of Italy, destroyed 06 enemy, ’planes for the loss of one. On Sunday, 63 German ’planes were shot down, and many more destroyed on the ground. . Airfields in Northern Italy were attacked by strong forces of escorted heavy bombers. Bombs were seen to fall among parked aircraft, hangars, and workshops. Medium bombers attacked road junctions south ot Rome, and fighters continued patrols over bridgeheads. Light bombers attacked shipping off the Dalmatian coast. Six Allied .aircraft are missing.