FORGING AHEAD

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 8 January 1944, Page 5

FORGING AHEAD

FIFTH ARMY IN ITALY FIGHT FOR SAN VITTORE STIFF ENEMY RESISTANCE (Rcc. 9.40 a.m.) London, Jan. 7. The Fifth *Army continues to forge ahead in the San Vittore area where the Germans once again are putting up stiff resistance in the region where they built up a strong defensive position to protect the key town of Cassino. Cold weather prevails and the troops are fighting on snow-covered ground Americans captured another useful high feature. Mount Majo, south-west of Citicuso, and five miles north-west of Venafro The capture enabled the Americans to cut the road running from Citicuso to Cernaro and San Vittore, thus denying the enemy of a much-used supply road. The Germans still hold three points in the town 0 f San Vittore itself, and fighting for complete Allied possession is still in progress. The Germans are maintaining heavy shell fire on the attacking troops. The fiercest fightingis going on on the Fifth Army front at the northern end of the 10-mile sector straddling the Yenafro-Rome railway line according to Vichy radio. Americans are waging furious battles for heights dominating the road to Cassino and Rome. Paris radio reports heavy street fighting continues San Vittore. British and Americans in resumption of the offensive made several local breaches but the German line as a whole has not been broken. On the southern part of the line Britisl troops yesterday captured another 7 prisoners. EIGHTH ARMY FRONT The weather is just as cold on the Eighth # Army front with heavy snow falling in the mountains, where we are aiming to secure additional high ground. Our troops are patrolling aggressively. Indians made a short advance west of San Tomaso. In rugged difficult country they encountered active German patrols. The Germans brought into their lines on the coastal sector parachutists who are being used as infantry. A communique says bad weather again limited air operations. Fighterbombers attacked German positions in the Cervaro area and the railway at Fondi. Two enemy aircraft were destroyed All ours returned Berlin radio claims that French volunteers are with German forces in Italy. It says that to-day’s Berlin newspapers publish photographs of companies of French volunteers with a German air force motor detachment in a town in northern Italy.