HITLER LINE

Grey River Argus, 20 May 1944, Page 5

HITLER LINE

COMING UNDER ATTACK N.Z. TANKS IN CASSINO 1500 Prisoners There [Aus. & N.Z- Press Assn J - LONDON, May 18. A special Allied, communique stated: The enemy has been completely out-manoeuvred by the Allied armies in Italy, following the original breach in the Gustav Line by the Fifth Army. Troops in the Eighth Army fought their way forward -in in the.Liri Valley, and during .the past 24 hours developed a decisive pincer movement which cut way .Six and so prevented the witndrawal of the enemy. A substantial portion of the First German Parachute Division has been destroyed m its effort to escape. Both the Fiitn and Eighth Armies contributed to this triumph. . A correspondent say: Those who remain of Hitler’s lauded Ist -Parachute Division, hailed as the best division in the German Army, are now in prison camp. . The “Daily Express” said: It is a lie that the Germans evacuated Cassino as they announced. That -> ie was a propaganda trick to rob us of the triumph, i The truth is tne Germans were caught napping. A “Daily Mail” correspondent saia: Germans came out of holes in Cassino with hand up, waving white flags. There had been terrinc Allied barrages against the town, ana the Germans retailiated with some of the most solid shelling, of part ot the town since the offensive openeu. British intelligence officers waited for a lull in the artillery pounding so they could broadcast to the Gei--nians in- their foxholes and outs. The lull came. Then Britisn, Polish and New Zealand artillery started to re-hammer the town ana Germans, started to shell heavily. T’his lasted nearly all night. In the morning the first German batch ot about a dozen scrambled over tne rubble waving surrender flags Monte Cassino Monastery fell before noon. There were 1500 Germans taken. The Ist Parachute Division, cream of the German Army, lost over half its strength One regiment of the 15th Panzer Grenadier Division and the 376th Regiment of the 305th Infantry Division were severely mauled. It had been clear since Tuesday that the enemy’s position in Cassino would soon become untenable and that the Germans were making arrangements to withdraw. British tactics prevented heavy casualties to our troops and the fighting during the last 48 hours had pinned down the enemy so long that a large part of the Ist -Parachute Division could not be extricated. The headquarters of this division was not captured, nor its artillery, because they were a considerable distance in the rear when the battle started. The German Command was too slow in effecting a withdrawal from a strategic . position. The 4th Parachute Regiment fell into a trap and -attempted too late to break out along Highway Six and mountain tracks during the night. A large number were killed and prisoners were taken.

N.Z. Tanks in Cassino TOWN OCCUPIED WITHOUT FIRING A SHOT. (NZ.E.F. Official Correspondent). (Rec. 8.55.) CASSINO, May 18. Cassino was completely captured by the New Zealand tanks and British infantry within half an hour after a direct assault on the town was begun at ten o’clock on Thursday morning. All the main strongpoints which held out through the New Zealanders’ battle for the town have been occupied without a shot being fired into them by tanks. The only prisoners so far reported are a small party of Germans, who came down the slopes of the Monastery Hill under a white flag. It is believed that most of the German garrison of paratroops escaped on Wednesday night. New Zealand tanks are now sitting astride the inland highway to Rome as a powerful barrier between German paratroops, in Cassino and their only route of retreat along the Liri Valley. So successful was the New Zealanders’ attack across a valley towards the highway early ,in the morning that by sundown they were reported to have formed a strong new section of the Eighth Army front and to be completely controlling one piece of road. Some of the tank crews who fought through the first days of the New Zealanders’ attack on Cassino are now sitting well beyond the town, ready to meet any attempt the Germans make to evacuate it. Since they crossed the Rapido River early in the Eighth Army's assault on the Gustav .Line, these New Zealanders of the Wellington tank formation have been continuously in the forefront of the attack, pressing forward with each British infantry advance, and holding firm against enemy counter-attacks. This important achievement in cutting Highway Six is the climax of five days’ hard fighting.

POLES' PART HARDEST.

LONDON, May 18.

The British United Press correspondent on the Eighth Army front says: The Poles in attacking Cassino positions, which were considered impregnable, probably accompl'shed the hardest task yet assigned to any section of the Eighth Army in this offensive. They fought in an area filled with the stench of death. Reciprocal hatred turned it into a savage animal" struggle, particularly after reports reached the Poles that German parachutists had killed some wounded Polish prisoners and used the white flag as a ruse. The Allied Command realised the only way to attack the monastery successfully was from the west and that was bow it" was done. The Poles, after desnerate fighting across the Phantom and San Angelo, went on to wag"e a bloody battle for the massif of Albenata, the key position of the German defensive at this end of the Gustav Line. Then they'threw m their last do or die attack pn the battered monastery itself. They fought across hills and valleys littered w.th German dead and in the end stormed the fortress which for seven months had been one of the deciding factors in holding up the Allied drive along Highway S x-the road to Rome. Scrambling their way up «he steep sloped massif of Albennta Polish troops fought gallantly towards the fortified house known as '‘The Fortress,” which was once the home of the Benedictine Monks It cost many lives to capture it, but as the Poles stormed the heights and the Huns realised it was all up. die Germans, craven and frightened because they knew they were at the mercy of an enemy who hated them, came out with their hands up. Three-quarters of the massif Ab benat? was in the hands ot the Poles

by the end of the day. Then came the final desperate assault on the monastery itself. It was a fantastic battle, with the Poles, supported by 17-pounder anti-tank guns standing in the front line smashing at pillboxes.

: Two famous British divisions in the Liri Valiev after crossing the Rapido River, swung round into Highway Six and cut it two miles out of Cassino. Then the Poles came down out of the hills to join hands with the British troops, and the Ist. Parachute DiviI sion was trapped. Remnants of the Cassino defenders are now being mopped up along Highway Six. Latest Report .enemy pressed back. TOWARDS? HITLER LINE. (Rec. 1 a.m.) LONDON, May 19. Friday’s Allied communique says: since the capture of Cassino the Eighth Army has been quick to exploit its successes, and is vigorously pressing enemy forces back against the Adolf Hitler Line. French and American troops of the Fifth Army have continued their drive across the mountains south of the Liri Valley, and they are now in contact with enemy forces on hill features constituting the southern bastion of the Adolf Hitler line. American troops on the coast captured the town of F'ormia.

In further support of the army, enemy batteries, dumps and roads west of Gaeta were successfully bombarded from the sea on Thursday. The retaliatory gunfire was ineffective. The communique .adds that medium bombers attacked railway bridges in central Italy. Light bombers and fighter bombers attacked suoply dumps, guns, troop concentrations, roads, motor transport, railway lines and bridges in the battle area. Other fighter bombers attacked shipping off the coast of Albania and the west coast of Italy Medium heavy bombers on Thursday night attacked objectives in Frosinone, Valmontone and Terr,acina. At least 14 enemy planes were destroyed on Thursday. Thirteen Allied heavy bombers and eight other planes are missing. The Allies flew 2200 sorties. Eighteen enemy planes were seen in daylight over the battle area.

ALLIED PROGRESS ! COASTAL CUT-FLANKING MOVE POSSIBLE. LONDON, May 18. Algiers radio stated formations of the Fifth and Eighth Armies joined up in the Liri Valley, and are continuing their advance. A “Telegraph” correspondent with the Eighth Army says: The progress of the French and American Armies on the left of the Bth Army (from the coastal area upwards) suggests the possibility that the Hitler Line may 'be outflanked. A German High Command communique says: Fighting flared up on the Nettuno beach-head. Strong enemy thrusts south of Cisterna and south of Littoria were repelled. The Associated Press reports that while American patrols penetrated the far corners of Formia to root out snipers, dig up booby traps and mow down machine-gun nests, heavy American artillery opened up a big barrage against Gaeta. Another report stated: ; Allied forces stand on the two great highways to Rome, one inland and the other coastal. The situation was altered by the capture of Cassino and Formia and the earlier fall of Esperia, a link between operations north and south. Troops from Formia captured Rauzza, the furthest westward advance. The French are shelling an important German supply read running from Formia northward through Istri to Pico, This road lies well behind Kesselring’s defence line. Eighth Army spearheads driving beyond Pignataro are less than five miles from the strongest Hitler Line defences across the Liri Valley. Berlin radio’s commentator, Capt. Sertorius says that heavy battles are progressing east of the line Pontevorvo-Aquino. More ground had been yielded to the enemy. ; N.Z. TANKS’ PART. ! (Rec. 1.0) LONDON, May 19. A New Zealand armoured unit participated with British troops in cutting the Rome Road and mopping up Cassino. FRENCH AND AMERICANS MAKE TOTAL ADVANCE OF J 7 MILES. (Rec. 1.0) LONDON, May 19. Reuter’s correspondent at Allied headquarters says: French and American troops, as a result of the capture of Monte Faggeto, overlooking the road between Itri and Pico, have advanced 17 miles as the crow flies since the start of the offensive. Following the capture of the ] village Monteicelli the French and American spearhead is now ap< nroaching Santa Oliva, a Hitler Line strongpoint. French forces, after their seizure of Monte San Mario are working up the slopes of Mone Doro, a forward bastion of the Hitler Line. Americans advancing from Formia are now outside Itri. FRENCH ADVANCE. LONDON, May 18. The British United Press correspondent at Allied Headquarters in Italy reports that the French, after capturing Esperia, pushed on three miles and captured Montelago and Monte Martino. Their guns are now shelling the road between Istri and j Pico which is an important German supply route. The Americans also captured Monte Campesi, three milos north-west of Scauri. BRITISH PROGRESS HP LIRI VALLEY (Rec. 1.0) LONDON, May 19. Reuter’s correspondent states:— British and Canadians, supported by .tanks, are driving methodically up the Liri Valley, extending their front, line five miles beyond the Rapido River. POLES NEAR HITLER LINE (Rec. 1.0) LONDON, May 19. The Poles are fighting in the mountains north of the Rome ,Road They now are only a mile and a half from the Hitler Line town of Piedmonte. CASSINO A QUAGMIRE. LONDON, May 18. Cassino was claimed by the Germans and Italians as a classic example of a defensive line. It is now the scene of utter desolation such as ' only can be produced in this war. The I Continental Hotel, went up with a 1 bang a little earlier. It was the final I retreating blow the Germans struck. I The crypt under the chapel of a conI vent which we recently used as forward headquarters, received 114 direct hits from German shells. British troops say that only a d rect hit fiom a thousand-pounder would have pene-

trated the crypt, which is typical of the protection the Germans enjoyed last March during the Allied Air Force’s record bombing. To-day, it Is difficult to guess what was the centre of the town across which there is a stinking quagmire, with disabled tanks half buried in mud craters, with dirty slimy water, blasted trees and gaunt remains of stone walls, and a medley of twisted girders—all the mess and disarray of horror that comes from the chaos of ceaseless shelling and bombardment.

‘NO HITLER LINE? GERMAN STATEMENT. LONDON, May 18. A “Times” correspondent states: aerial photographs of the Hitler Line show a stretch which extends across the Liri Valley comprises over 200 strongpoints, about 70 pillboxes, and minor- concrete works. There is a continuous line of barbed wire and about 12 miles of anti-tank ditches linked up’ with deep watercourses which intersect the plain. As the Line bears the Fuehrer’s name it is expected l the Germans will make a great effort to defend it. A Naples correspondent said: Prisoners reveal that the Hitler Line has been under construction for the last three months by the Todt organisation which built the Siegfried Line and Atlantic Wall. It is estimated from aerial photographs that t'he strength of the Line, extending across the Liri Valley, a distance of over eight miles, contains more than 200 large bunkers, about 70 pillboxes and minor concrete works. There is also a continuous line of wire and about 12 miles of anti-tank ditches, linking the natural obstacles of the deep watercourses. All houses have been demolished to provide a clear field of fire. The German News Agency commentator, Fraegner, declared that no defence system named the Adolf Hitler Line exists. “By inventing such names the Allies try to imagine successes which so far they have not achieved.”

A German report says: In Liri Valley and farther northward along Highway Six German withdrawing movements, in the course of which Cassino was evacuated, are progressing according to plan. The British forces are hard on our heels, but our rearguards are inflicting heavy losses on the enemy. Algiers radio stated prisoners taken since the new offensive total 7,000, of whom 1,500 were captured at Cassino. Four hundred guns were also captured since the offensive began. An estimate of equipment captured at Cassino shows that it was sufficient for two artillery divisions.

NORTH ITALY CIVILIANS MOVED.

(Rec. 5.5) LONDON. May 19. The “Daily Telegraph’s” Zurich correspondent says: German authorities have ordered an immediate evacuation of civilian population from several parts of Genoa, also from twelve other towns in Italy, including Rapallo, Santa Margharito, Portofino, Chiavari, and Sestrilevante.