BITTER FIGHTING

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 27 May 1944, Page 5

BITTER FIGHTING

CISTERNA CAPTURED

IMPORTANT ROADS CUT German Withdrawal in Liri Valley London, May 26. The capture of Cisterna and the occupation of Littoria are announced in to-day’s Allied communique from Italy. The communique states: Both the Fifth and Eighth Armies have made further progress. The Eighth Army has now broken the Hitler Line and established a bridgehead beyond the Melfa river. Although some of the enemy are offering stiff resistance and are still holding out on the flanks, the advance of the F ifth Army after having gained contact with patrols from the Allied bridgehead force, continued offensive operations on both fronts. Littoria has been occupied and Cisterna captured after heavy fighting.” , , Cisterna fell yesterday after continuous and exceedingly bitter fighting lasting 24 hours, reports the Exchange Telegraph Agency’s correspondent. The Germans used basements as protection against bombardments and the battered remains of houses as strongpoints. Littoria fell without opposition. Reuter's correspondent at the Allied bridgehead says the Fifth Army cut two important roads —the Cisterna-Cori road to the north-east and a lateral road a few hundred yards from the Cisterna crossing and the Cisterna-Cori road. The Allies also are reported to be abreast of the road trom Cori to Doganeleia. Cori is threatened from the west, south and south-east.

Allied armour is now moving more freely passing over heavily mined defences east of Cisterna. This armour is proceeding in the direction of Valmontone. which Allied air forces heavily bombed. The enemy launched several counter-attacks which were dispersed by the artillery and air bombing. Frontline dispatches report that the Germans evacuated Aquino and have withdrawn across Highway Six to Roccasecca. The British United Press correspondent says the Germans are now apparently evacuating or preparing to evacuate Custrocileo. two miles north of Aquino. Dense smoke from their demolitions is hanging over the village. There is no trace of German shelling from this area. The slopes of Monte Cairo are also silent. CANADIAN BRIDGEHEAD The Canadians, despite stubborn German resistance, crossed the Melfa river between Highway Six and Liri Valley early yesterday morning and established a tordable bridgehead. This was consolidated after hard fighting throughout the day. Algiers radio reports that the Fifth Army occupied Vallecorsa and Bollegrande in addition to three mountains. British and Polish troops occupied Piedimonte and Aquino. 2500 troops were taken prisoner in the later sector. Heavy fighting is going on at Pastena and San Giovanni, which are the Fifth Army's immediate objectives. CRIPPLING AIR BLOWS Allied airmen in two days’ flights accounted for 1750 vehicles, more than half of which are believed to have been destroyed says Reuter's correspondent at Allied headquarters. Allied pilots in yesterday’s crippling blows against German transport moving on Highways Siv and Seven and also along secondary roads south of Rome destroyed 610 vehicles. NEW DEFENCE LINE? The London correspondent of the “New York Times” says the speed of the Allied advance in Italy is taken as an indication that General von Kesselring lacks reserves. Wellinformed circles predict that the Nazis will withdraw the Tenth and Fourteenth armies to a new defence line beyond Rome. The Allied push in Liri Valley and the drive northwest from Anzio jeopardise the German forces from Roccasecca to Se/ze. thus forcing the enemy to make a wholesale retreat. A Swedish correspondent in Berlin reports the German High Command spokesman as saying that the Allied success in southern Italy is regarded in German military circles as the signal for the invasion with a co-ordinated Allied offensive from the west, east and south. Reuter’s correspondent at Allied Headquarters says aggressive Fifth Army reconnaissance units. pushing westward along the roads across the Pontine found the towns of Sabaudia and Pontinia unoccupied. TARGETS FOR AIR FORCE An Allied communique states: "Since the start of the operations more than 12.000 prisoners have been taken. The First Tactical Air Force fighter bombers yesterday further intensified the onslaught against enemy troops concentrations. guns, tanks, and motor transport. They destroyed or damaged many hundreds of vehicles in a record day's operations. Medium bombers attacked bridges and viaducts on the central Italian railway system. Strong forces of escorted heavy bombers attacked important rail centres in the Lyons and Grenoble districts. Other heavy bombers attacked airfields at

Piacenza, also Monfalcone harbaur and oil stores rt Porto Marghera. Medium and heavy bombers last night attacked roads in the Viterbo area. More than 30 enemy planes were active during daylight* 20 of which were destroyed. Twelve of ours are missing. The Mediterranean Air Force flew more than 3000 sorties. “In further support of the armies’ thrust, enemy targets in the Anzio area were again bombarded from the sea on Wednesday and last night. Good results are reported.” NEW ZEALANDERS AND POLES ( Official War Correspondent. N.Z.E.F.) Eighth Army Front, May 23. The New Zealanders and the Poles who first fought to gether in the battle for Gazala Ridge beyond Tobruk in the 1941 Ljbyan campaign have again been in action together. New Zealand tanks and atrillery supporting the Poles in the first stages of their latest action. Reference to the work of the two forces in these battles was made by General Anders, commander of the Polish Corps, at a Press conference at his headquarters. “I am proud to be working in close collaboration with New Zealand troops.” he said. General Anders added that when the New Zealanders attacked Cassino more than two months ago they did not fully succeed The commander of the German first Paratroop Division had realised that a different plan would be used and he had warned the German garrison to beware of just such an attack as the Eighth Army had now successfully carried out.