ANZIO BRIDGEHEAD

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 5 February 1944, Page 5

ANZIO BRIDGEHEAD

ENEMY COUNTER-OFFENSIVE Three Heavy Assaults Repulsed

(Kec. 9.45 a.m.) London, Feb. 4. The Germans yesterday launched the expected counteroffensive in the Anzio bridgehead with three heavy assaults in the area north of Padiglione (seven miles south-west of Cisterna) reports Reuter’s Algiers correspondent. The enemy also counterattacked against Americans west of Cisterna. All the attacks were repulsed by the Allies in bitter fighting with heavy enemy losses. The Americans took 140 prisoners in mopping up strong points west of Cisterna. The Luftwaffe resumed activity over the beachhead area yesterday but patrolling Allied planes drove off th« enemy. The hammer and tongs battle for the capture of Cassino is going on with Americans in northern outskirts using tanks in an effort to force their way through the enemy’s house-to-house defences.

A communique from advanced Allied headquarters states: "On the main Fifth ' Army front our troops engaged in heavy fighting on the outskirts of Cassino. We repulsed enemy counter-attacks in the mountains north of Cassino. Fifth Army troops on the Anzio front are improving their positions. Eighth Army troops occupied the village of Torricella. BATTLE FOR CASSINO American troops are still fighting hard to capture Cassino. says a correspondent at Allied headquarters. The j battle raged throughout the night and American troops who had secured a footing in the northern suburbs of the town are forcing their way with the support of tanks towards the centre, j As on previous occasions when the Ger- j mans turned small villages and towns into strongpoints. they are now fighting from house to house and floor to floor with great stubbornness. At Casino. and Terelle Americans are meeting i fierce resistance from the enemy, who ) were recently reinforced In some' places they are coming up against steel) and concrete pillboxes which have to be | knocked out one by one. Fighting is j particularly fierce around Castelone, j three miles west of Cassino. The Ger- j mans put in two severe counter-attacks | which have been beaten off by troops: who are now engaged in mopping upf the conquered terrain. On the o?»;er part of the Fifth Army front British, French and American j troops engaged in active patrolling. In ( the Garigliano sector our patrols have • taken a few prisoners. The main Fifth Army troops are engaged in heavy fighting on the outskirts of Cassino states an Allied communique. Counter-attacks were repulsed in the mountains north of Cassino. On the Anzio front our positions are being improved. On the Eighth Army front Torricella (20 miles inland and 17 miles east of Sulmona) has been occupied.' The: weather again limited air operations yesterday, but our bombers and lighter aircraft bombed rail facilities at Sulmona, Monnonpclli and Stimigliano. Between Sulmona and Rome motor and rail traffic was attacked by fighters and fighter-bombers and patrols were maintained over the battle areas. Five enemy aircraft were destroyed. Two of ours are missing. London, Feb. 3. The Americans' guns are now firing down the streets of Cassino, which is still strongly defended. Allied tank units to-day entered the outskirts of Terelle, five miles northwest of Cassino. Reuter’s Algiers correspondent reports that French and Americans widened the breach in the Gustav Line. Americans captured positions on Monte Catellene, three miles north-west of Cassino, and also captured Monte Majola, overlooking the town from Rim valley. They encircle Cassino generally from a distance of one mile from the north and east. The fall of the town appears imminent. The Germans are making a lastditch stand with automatic weapons, self-propelled guns and six-barrelled Nebelferers (fogthrowers). There is little doubt, rays the correspondent of “The Times” on the Cassino front, that a general German withdrawal from the Gustav Line has begun. The country through which the Germans are withdrawing does not boast many roads. The Germans are believed to have prepared positions to which to withdraw on a line from Terracina to Luri. It remains to be seen whether the Germans will be able to hold the new line with depleted divisions from the Gustav Line. The costly defence of the Gustav Line partly fulfilled the-Germans’ intention to gain time for reinforcements from north Italy to face the Allied landing. German divisions have been rushed south with remarkable speed from Genoa and Fiume. Units were also brought from the Eighth Army front, so there is no sizeable force in the Rome area.

STRONG ENEMY FORCE Hard fighting is still progressing in the Cisterna and Campoleone sectors according to latest news from the beachhead. German strength “on the bridgehead position is believed to be very appreciable and is still mounting, and the expected counteroffensive is looming nearer. The Germans seem determined to hold on to Cisterna at all costs as its loss would cut their supply lines. Improved weather at the beaches speeded up the landing of supplies and reinforcements. Correspondents continue to emphasise that there is no easy road to Rome. A representative of the combined British press at Nettuno bridgehead says: “Our presence here is a major threat to the enemy’s line further south, therefore we still expect stiff fighting.” Reuter’s correspondent says Nettuno is comparable with Tobruk. Ov-er-optimistic people who thought this landing was thg beginning of the end for the Germans should be sobered by the stiff fighting going on. The beachhead is still exclusively supplied by sea and unless advancing troops can cut General von Kesselring’s supply line and force him to withdraw from the Cassino area the landing will not have fulfilled all expectations. In twelve days since the landing at Anzio the Germans. have assembled a very considerable ’ force. To meet that force, also a counteroffensive which the Germans are almost certain to throw against us, we are going to need every last man, gun and tank we have been able to get ashore. Rome Radio said: “British and Americans in the invasion area today attacked German defenders with overwhelming numbers and inflicted heavy casualties. The enemy is using a great number of tanks and liberal artillery and air cover. Bitter fighting went on south of Carrocetto and around Cisterna.” The radio added ! that the Germans to-day completely, eliminated deep Allied penetration; made yesterday. The German News Agency representative reported: “I have been through the hell of Cisterna. Ame- j ricans concentrated 'every firespout-! ing weapon against the area leading i to the Appian Way, which is still inf German hands.” Castelgondolfo was again bombed says Rome radio. Bombs fell on a con -! vent which had already been damaged, j Trieste was again heavily raided to-1 day and great damage was done.