Rain, Mud, Stop Italian Fighting

Northern Advocate, 15 March 1944, Page 3

Rain, Mud, Stop Italian Fighting

(Rec. 11.45 a.m.) LONDON, March 14. The liveliest patrol activity in Italy is still occurring on the Eighth Army front, where rain again soaked the ground, says Reuter’s correspondent at advanced headquarters in Italy, and adds that it will probably be at least a week before the terrain on any of General Alexanders three Kalian battlefronts hardens sufficiently for effective military operations. Further rain also fell on the Fifth Army front with snow in the mountains. The Allies are still running in supplies for troops in the beachhead area, amphibious jeeps going ashore direct from landing barges and delivering guns, ammunition and other supplies at the front line. Mud ankle deep in gullies on the Eighth Army front and extremely soft ground on both the Fifth Army front and Anzio beachhead keep the movements of both armies greatly restricted, states a correspondent at Allied headquarters. Patrols can only operate with the greatest difficulty. It is estimated that it will take a week of fine, dry weather and blazing sunshine to harden the ground. . Patrol skirmishes and routine artillery duels were the only activity yesterday. On the main Fifth Army front an enemy working party was shot up near Cassino and prisoners were taken by one patrol which wiped out a machine-gun nest. There were one or two sharp patrol clashes on the Anzio beachhead, mainly at Arna and Litlorio, and a point five miles west of Cisterna, where American troops took 13 prisoners. British troops south of Carrocetto destroyed a machine-gun post. Four small air raids over the beachhead and Anzio harbour were carried out on Saturday. The raiders dropped anti-personnel bombs on Sunday night. The weather on the beachhead was clear yesterday after a fall of snow the previous night. Weather Finer, Deep Mud Remains Indian troops have repulsed a series of enemy attacks against our forward positions, states the latest Allied communique from Italy. Patrols have been active on all fronts. The weather has improved but deep mud remains after weeks of snow and rain. Medium-bombers yesterday attacked railway and road bridges at Sarzana and Via Reggio, and railway yards at Spoweto. Perugia and Fabriano. Fighter-bombers attacked road and rail traffic in Rome area, also gun positions, supply-dumps and shipping off the Dalmatian coast. Other planes attacked docks at Porto San Stefano, also rail targets. Three enemy planes and six of ours are missing. The Allies flew 1000 sorties. About 43 enemy planes were active over the battle area. The Germans are using Porto San Stefano as a supply base for their beachhead forces.