CASSINO BATTLE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXIV, Issue 39, 14 January 1944, Page 2

CASSINO BATTLE

ALLIES' STEADY GAINS. ) (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright.) . (Rec. 1.40 p.m.) RUGBY, Jan. 13. A military commentator on the Algiers radio stated that Allied troops still pressing forward in the Cassino corridor captured further enemy strong-points on AVednesday. It was reported that the Fifth Army had seized a ring of heights around Cervaro and yesterday Allied Force Headquarters announced that Cervaro was in pur hands. During the past several days British and American infantrymen hav\e fought ferociously against stiff German resistance in the mountains surrounding this village. Although the Germans had constructed what they believed to v be formidable defences in depth, Allied infantrymen went ahead by inches, taking first one dominating height and then another. The battle raged on under most severe mountain conditions, but the Germans slowly retreated.^ Prisoners captured throughout the fighting for the Cassino corridor stated that they had been ordered to hold out to the last. French trooos of the Fifth Army have taken Monte Raino and Monte Mollino, both of which changed hands several times. While patrollings and artillery duels are the principal activity on the Eighth Army front, the nature of the fighting shows an increased tendency towards, close hand-to-hand combat. Artillery and mortars continue to roar across NoMan's Land, but the opposing infantry are continually drawing closer to one another and sharp patrol clashes are occurring. On the coastal sector artillery • barrages started large fires in the Ger-man-held town of Orsogna. A war correspondent says that, Cervaro is four miles east o[ Cassino, and dominates the approaches to Cassino ilself. The Fifth Army is in a position to launch final attacks on the town. Medium bombers attacked rail installations in Yugoslavia, and bridges in the vicinity of Arcc ahead of the Fifth Army on the road to Rome. Fighter bombers on a sweep over the Dalmalion coast wore attacked by about 12 enemy aircraft, two of which were shot down without less. Baltimorcs bombed Palena, causing fires and explosions. The two destroyers which bombarded the cast coast of Italy yesterday were the Tynan and the Grenville. SAPPERS' DIFFICULT TASK.

During 6even weeks c;vcr a strcich of 22 miles British and South African sappers in Italy built six bridges and three tunnels. They put down 6000 lengths of rail, and 46 sets of points and crossings. For twenty-four hours a day the job is cavried on, and where German railway wrecking machines have been used the sappers have V> make good the total destruction, not only of bridges "and railway tunnels, but of sleepers. In one section of 12 miles enemy wreckers were most active. Twelve bridges were blown up, including ono of 24 spans, and 500 lengths of rail and 25,000 sleepers were destroyed. In addition over one section of the track more than 1000 mines were taken up.—Official Wireless.