NEW GERMAN ATTACK

Grey River Argus, 18 February 1944, Page 5

NEW GERMAN ATTACK

ON THE BEACH-HEAD Allied Lines Holding [Aus. '& N.Z. Press Assn.] (Rec. 7.50) LONDON, Feb. 16. _ “The Germans have resumed their offensive against our Anzio beachhead,” sajjs a broadcast by the Columbia Broadcasting Systems representative. “After dusk on Tuesday nighfi German bombers _ began ■attacking our positions. Their attacks were increasing in numbers as •the night lengthened. After midnight, the German bombers came over ever hour and the German artillery launched the heaviest barrage of the beach-head battle. “At dawn on Wednesday, German infantry attacked points along the front. At some places they did so with tank support. Evidently, they were probing for weak spots as no attack was made in great strength. “Heavy lighting at close quarters has been going on all day to-day (Wednesday). The latest reports indicate that the Germans have nowhere breached our lines. That the Germans will make another attempt to drive us from the beach-head is to be expected, but our positions aie stronger than when the enemy launched his first attack ten days ago, and reinforcements of men and of supplies have moved steadily into the area.” On Monday Allied positions, were maintained in the beach-head in face of numerous violent attacks by tne enemy, the defence belt remaining intact. On Tuesday the beach-head was comparatively quiet. there were patrolling an r ] artillery duels. British troops drove off two enemy patrols. At the village of Cassino, six miles southward of Cisterna, there was a solid clash from which the Germans scampered off, leaving ten dead. The enemy holds Carrocetto.

The British United Press says:— Allies heavy bombers for the fourth night in succession last night smashed enemy communications and troop concentrations south of Rome and dropped a great weight of heavy bombs near the beach-head. Medium bombers attacked harbours and 1 shipping on the west coast of Italy. The Allied air forces flew 1100 sorties, to about 70 . flown by the enemy. Nine enemy aircraft were destroyed and one Allied aircraft is missing. CASSINO BATTLE LONDON. Feb. 16. American troops, battling grimly from house to house in the past fortnight, hold one-third of Cassino town. There was no major action on Tuesday, but the Fifth. Army kept up pressure. Americans face solid opposition from the German pillboxes, made of four-inch concrete with steel hood and armour, plating. The pillboxes are manned by two men sighting by periscope, using heavy machine-guns. On Abbey Hill, just to the west, Allied troops hammer relentlessly at the network of German pillboxes. LATEST REPORT. (Rec. 12.35.) LONDON Feb 17. The Fifth Arm-v troops were heavily engaged with the enemy in the northern part of the Anzio beachhead stated the latest communique from the Allied advanced headquarters in Italy. Allied patrols were active on both the main Fifth Army and Eighth Army fronts. The battle continues in the streets" of Cassino. A large number of 'heavy bombers yesterday attacked communications in northern and central Italy. They struck rail bridges and yards In Ancona and Cessina, and at many points in the Florence area. Medium bombers attacked targets in Orte, . Orvieto, Alkinia, and Perugia. Fighter bombers attacked motor transport troops tanks and fortified buildings in battle areas. Night bombers bombed the harbour of San Stefano. Nine enemy planes were destroyed during the day for the loss of four Allied aircraft. Pulverised Monastery SUCCESSION OF SHELLING AND BOMBING. LONDON, Feb. 16. Swarms of Allied bombers on Wednesday again bombed the Benedictine Monastery of Monte Cassino, on the Monastery Hill, some distance from Cassino town. On Tuesday morning 100 Flying Fortresses dropped a heavy load oi bombs on the monastery, and in the afternoon Marauders continued the attack. On Tuesday a great number of direct hits were made, and there is proof that a severe explosion occurred in one wing. The main church is practically obliterated and the Monte Cassino • Monastery itself almost destroyed. Reuter’s correspondent says: The Allied bombing ann shelling are. reported to have opened a breach in. enemy defences on Monastery Hill, for which reason the Allied prospect of breaking through and cutting the road to Rome has immeasurably brightened. A tough battle is expecten for the summit of Monastery Hill, from which the Allied troops are at present only a few. hundred yards, says a British United Press correspondent. ■ Artillery all Tuesday night kept up spasmodic shelling, after which fighter-bombers follower] up .with heavy daylight attacks. x Captain James Duffy, leading pilot of the second wave of Fortresses, said: “My crew reported that the enemy’s hill-top fortress blew apart like a house of cards. I am a Catholic and devoutly hope that all the clergymen and sacrea objects were out of the monastery when the bombs hit, but any emotion I might have felt was overshadowed by the military importance of the objective.”

An American Air Force captain said: “I am sorry the monastery had to be destroyed, but snce the Germans used it for military purposes there was no other alternative.” H R. Knickerbocker. the New York “P.M.” correspondent at Cassino says the existence of the monastery caused the deaths of hundreds. perhaps thousands, of men. A Lisbon Catholic paper "La Voz” says: The German military occupation of the Cassino Monastery is a stigma which will never be wiped out. OVER 36,600 BRITISH CASUALTIES IN ITALY. LONDON, Feb. 16. Mr Churchill told the House of Commons that British casualties in Italy up’ to February 12 were: Killed 7639: wounded 23,283; missing 5708. The figures included Dominion and Indian troops, but not the Navy or R.A.F. Alexander Complains beach-head correspondents ALARMING PEOPLE IN BRITAIN. (Rec. 9.30) LONDON, Feb. 17. The British United Press correspondent with the Fifth Army says: On Monday, General Alexander, at the conclusion of a tour of the beachhead south of Rome, had a heart-to-heart talk with war correspondents.