ON ROAD TO CASSINO

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 10 January 1944, Page 5

ON ROAD TO CASSINO

Fifth Army Advance GERMAN DEFENSIVE BELT DENTED Americans Take San Vittore (Rec. 10.40 a.m.) London, Jam 9. The Fifth Army is one-third of the way through the Germans’ defensive belt protecting the Cassino gateway to Rome, says Reuter’s Algiers correspondent. Fighting on this front has developed into battles for heights flanking the road to Cassino where the Germans are strongly entrenched. “After two days of heavy street fighting, American troops of the Fifth Army have captured the key yillage of San Vittore,” states the kalian land communique. “They have also captured Guista, one mile further north. In another area our troops fought their way to the top of a 4000-foot mountain which they now hold.’’ Describing the fighting in San Vittore, the military commentator for the United Nations radio at Algiers said the Germans had turned the village into a fortress guarding the roads to Cassino and Rome. The struggle for the village lasted for three days, and the Americans had to fight every inch of the way. The capture of the village has made a further dent in the extensive network of defence installations which the Germans had erected to protect Cassino.

NEXT OBJECTIVE

CERVARO BEING SHELLED Allied fighter-bombers leap-frog- \ ging San Vittore, where the German defences are crumbling under the Fifth Army’s blows, are striking against the next objective—Cervaro. This village, two miles north-west of San Vittore, is the last defensive position before Cassino, says Reuter’s Algiers correspondent. The Germans are hurriedly converting Cervaro into a fortress similar to San Vittore and San Pietro. Allied pilots spotted troop concentrations and gun emplacements which, despite most unfavourable weather, have been subjected to heavy air attacks. With the village of Guista in Allied hands the Fifth Army is developing an attack against Monte Chiaia, a 1200-foot snow-capped peak northwest of Guista and one of the three main peaks still barring the way to Cassino. Allied artillery is at present shelling Cervaro, which is two miles north of San Vittore, also high ground flanking both sides of the Cassino road. The Americans, south-west of San Vittore are still battling for the slopes of Monte Porchia, which are south of the Rome road. Americans one mile south-west of this point are engaged in hard fighting for Monte Cedro. Several neighbouring heights in this area were captured. The Germans around Monte Cedro are firmly entrenched in a strong defence belt some six miles deep. Th e battle is largely developing into infantry actions. This is because the Germans are so well dug in. Shelling is not effective except with a direct hit. The Germans in this sector are employing the Hermann Goering Division which was recently resting behind the line MAORIS DISTINGUISH THEMSELVES Maoris of the New Zealand Division on the Eighth Army front have distinguished them- i selves.. On one German sector the Maoris’ line was broken through but the Maoris immedi- i ately attacked and wiped out the entire German force. Deep snowdrifts on the Orsogna sector are keeping activity down to a minimum. HEAVY GERMAN CASUALTIES The Americans used grenades to blast the Germans from houses in Guista says the British United Press Algiers correspondent. The Germans turned the dwellings in this village into pillboxes and strongpoints as they did at San Vittore. Fifth Army spearheads are close to Cervaro, in which the Germans have concentrated artillery. Cervaro is two miles north-west of San Vittore, and is the last defensive position before Cassino. The enemy suffered heavy casual- ' ties when Allied troops occupied San Vittore. One group of 200 scuttled out of their dug-outs and tried to escape over the hills. The Americans opened rapid tommygun fire on the Germans as they raced up the bald hillside, wiping them out to a man. j Many Italians who # emerged from the ruins were completely hysterical. For weeks they had lived in basements and dug-outs eating only popcorn and dried beans while the heavy battle raged around them. The Fifth Army has taken at least several hundred prisoners in its new drive, and scores more are being brought in daily. Many of the prisoners had in their pockets when captured pamphlets which were shot from our guns. The German news agency’s military commentator says it may be deduced from the increasing activity on the Italian front that the enemy considers the time has come to launch a general offensive. The arrival of further reserves for both the Fifth and the Eighth Armies, and also the transfer of General Clark’s headquarters, he says, warrants the conclusion that the present attacks are a transition stage to a large-scale assault against the German front in southern Europe. WIDESPREAD AIR RAIDS The Middle East air communique states: “The aircraft factory at Maribor and th e railway yards at Fiume were attacked on Friday by escorted heavy bombers. A strong force of medium bombers was over the railway communications north of Rome. At Pontdera the tracks were well covered, and at the Lucca repair shops the gasworks were hit. Perugia airfield was well covered by bombs and several fires were left burning. Fighter-bombers and fighters cooperated with the ground forces and made sweeps over the Yugoslav coast, some merchant vessels being damaged. Four enemy aircraft were destroyed. Four of ours are missing. “On Wednesday night heavy bombers of the R.A.F. successfully attacked Rhodes harbour. The bombing was well concentrated, and damage was caused to port facilities. The continuing bad weather again rendered difficult th e destruction of enemy shipping attempting to supply the occupied islands. However, R.A.F. and U.S.A.A.F. bombers and long-range fighters sank a number of loaded sailing ships which were intercepted near Monemvasia, in southern Greece, and north of Leros. - Shipping in Palo harbour, on Nisyros Island, was attacked, but the results < were not observed. From these and j other operations two of our aircraft 1 are missing.”

STRONG ENEMY PATROLS

1 ACTIVE ON NEW ZEALAND FRONT NIGHT ATTACKS IN SNOW | (N.Z.E.F. Official War Correspondent! N.Z. Divisional Headquarters, Jan. 7. Strong enemy patrols have been active on the New Zealand front in the past three nights and although they have caused some casualties they have not been able to penetrate far. They have suffered casualties themselves but in the darkness have been able to take back most of their wounded and dead with them when forced to withdraw. One of these patrols consisted of men wearing white clothing and probably snowshoes. They came in from the windward to a house in which some of our infantry were located, taking advantage of the sleet which blinded observation from our lines. Near the house they split up and attacked from different directions with grenades and automatic weapons but were driven off. Similar tactics have been adopted by other patrols but without success. There have been no major developments on this sector of the front. Our artillery fire continues and the enemy has been using mortars against our forward positions fairly consistently. After a few days of fine weather which has made little impression on the New Year’s snowfall, rain and sleet descended over this area two days ago and yesterday there was a light fall of snow. The weather is again fine but bitingly cold when the wind sweeps down from the mountains. BRITISH COMMANDOS (Rec. 10.50 a.m.) London, Jan 9. It has been revealed that British commandos, besides special Belgian and Polish troops, have been fighting m Italy since the Salerno landing.