Pr ogress In Italy Slow And Painful

Northern Advocate, 21 January 1944, Page 3

Pr ogress In Italy Slow And Painful

(Rec. 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, Jan. 20 The Germans have apparently chosen Castel Forte, six miles inland, as the keypoint for their defence against the British forces,

says Algiers radio. Our progress is painful, as the ground is thick with mines and swept by persistent and accurate gunfire and mortar fire. The British, nevertheless, are battling their way yard by yard up a hill overlooking part of Monte Aurunci. Our casualties are not light. The Germans from the heights beyond the advancing British troops are firing on the river crossings, damaging rafts and temporary bridges. Allied airmen and British artillery are working incessantly to silence the troublesome German guns and mortar nests. In addition to the British troops who crossed the Garigliano by swimming and by raft, tightened the net around the German defence position; beyond Rapido, another force was landed from the sea north of the river mouth. These troops formed the spearhead which entered the southern outskirts of Minturno, which che German news agency says the Germans abandoned after heavy fighting. Tufa, which was captured, is in the vicinity of ihe Rome-Capua railway, four miles inland from Minturno.

The Americans and French tightened the net around the German defence positions beyond the Rapido. Rome radio reports that Allied naval units yesterday shelled Scambi, near Minturno (in the area where the British crossed the Garigliano), causing great damage and heavy casualties among the population. British Fanning Out

The British are not only holding gains north of the Garigliano but are fanning out and pushing on in a determined effort to link up three bridgeheads across the Garigliano. Algiers radio says that British Fifth Army troops, despite fierce German counter-attacks in the western extremity of the Gustav line, attacking on a seven to ten mile front, captured additional important heights. The Germans falling back beyond the valley are reported to be,digging in on higher ground. Reuter’s correspondent on the Fifth Army front, says that the battle for the lower Garigliano has developed into a slogging match in which the Germans are slowly getting the worst of the exchanges although they have received reinforcements and are fighting resolutely. Late last night things still were going well along the lower Garigliano with the north bank for 10 miles inland from the coast firmly held, says Reuter's correspondent with the British forces.

British troops advanced more than a mile on all sectors and were still making good progress.

Italian front-line civilians are taking a keen interest in the battle, pausing while working in the fields to watch the Allied operations. A British general, from the window of his headquarters, watched the attack develop. The general, after careful scrutiny through powerful binoculars, told correspondents that things were going well, although there had been one or two sticky patches.

Prisoners reveal that when the Fifth Army forced the Garigliano, the Germans were taken completely by surprise. They were caught while out of their trenches receiving rations. Fine Piece of Organisation

The Garigliano crossing was a fine piece of military organisation. The river, which is steeply banked, averages 100 feet wide. It flows so swiftly that it cannot be forded. The Germans from the high ground to the north have the river under direct observation, making it imperative that any assault should be made at night time. Reuter’s Algiers correspondent says the Germans north of the Garigliano. are determinedly opposing the British advance, throwing in substantial tank forces in repeated counter-attacks. British forces are also being raked by machine-guns and mortars from German strongpoints on the high ground to the north.

Allied dive-bombers and fighterbombers are combining with the artillery to lay a continuous barrage against these positions. Fifth Army forces are nearing Cassino and continue to pour down from the mountains, contacting the Germans across the Rapido River. Apart from the Canadian withdrawal, the Eighth Army front was enlivened only by artillery- exchanges and patrolling. Rain interfered with air activity.

A correspondent who watched the assault across the Garigliano writes: "The flooded approaches to the rivernear the sea and the mountains thal rise as the river widens inland, together make the approaches to the stream extremely difficult, but along the banks themselves, thick trees provide cover. At 9 p.m. the attack began. For 24 hours our men have been hiding in cramped positions, edging their way forward yard by yard with assault boats and collapse craft. “Before firing tracer shells were the first to open fire, followed by the sharp crack of 25-pounders. The hills behind were bright with gunflashes. Fires started in two places on the opposite bank. The fierce blazes illuminated the whole scene. Artillery support was given as the infantry forged forward.

‘The detonations only died, away with the first light of dawn when reports came back of penetration along the whcle line of attack and parties of prisoners came drifting back.” On the Eighth Army front the Canadians achieved limited objectives withdrawing under cover of night to their original positions, reports another correspondent. At Ataletta, two miles south of San Angelo, the British encountered German ski troops. In thp Orsogna area the Germans forming up to raid houses held by us, were shelled and dispersed. Patrol activity and shelling are in progress all along the front in rainy weather and low cloud.

The British crossings over the Garigliano have been joined up and now extend two miles along a seven miles front. Minturno has been almost reached and the troops have started up the high ground further inland. They will, however, have a deep wide river at their backs which must cause supply difficulties for the present. An Allied communique states that British troops of the Fifth Army are continuing their advance on the Tyrrhenian Sea sector, despite stubborn enemy resistance and two heavy counter-attacks. Suio, Tufo and Argento have been captured Elsewhere on both army fronts patrols are active.

Suio is just across the river, seven miles inland. Tufo is two miles beyond the river just outside Minturno, oast of that town. Meanwhile German airfields and railways throughout Central Italy have again been pounded by strong forces of both heavy and medium bombers.

British and American planes again raided Rome early today, says the German News Agency. There were numerous fatalities.