CASSINO ATTACK

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24824, 22 February 1944, Page 5

CASSINO ATTACK

TWO HEIGHTS TAKEN

DESPERATE NIGHT FIGHTING LONDON. Feb. 20 The first phase of the new Allied attack against Cassino has ended with the capture of the two heights necessary for the successful operation against Monastery Hill, says the Algiers correspondent of the Times. Some Gurkhas fought their way almost to the gates of the monastery, but were forced to fall back. Through pitch darkness small groups of men fought desperately for concrete pillboxes and machine-gun nests hewn from the hill face, and crawled up steep slopes under barrages of bursting star shells. Two heights have been wrested from the Germans after hard fighting to the west of Monte Cassino, states the Italian land communique. In attacks on this sector troops of New Zealand and Indian formations are taking part. In spite of the heavy bombing and shelling of previous days, the Germans remain firmly entrenched in and around Cassino monastery. German artillery and tanks are operating along the zigzag road leading from Monte Cassino to the monastery. This specifically advantageous position enables the Germans to direct a withering fire on the American troops established near Cassino railway station.

PROMISING PROSPECTS HOLDING THE BEACHHEAD LONDON, Feb. 20 Tlio United States Under-Secretary of War, Mr. R. P. Patterson, said tiiat the situation in Italy is in hand and that prospects are promising. "There is no doubt at all." he added, "about our ability to hold the Anzio beachhead." CONTROL OF RELIEF OFFICIALS APPOINTED BRITISH REPRESENTATIVES (Reed. 8.00 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 20 It is officially announced that the United Kingdom will he represented on the council and central committee of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration by Mr. Richard Law, .Minister of State. .Mr. Ben Smith, Minister Resident in Washington for Supply, will be the United Kingdom representative on the standing committee on supplies, and take Mr. Law's place when necessary. The chairman of the standing committee for Europe will be Mr, Ernest Brown. Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. As chairman he will not vote, and the United Kingdom voting member will be Sir George Randel, formerly Ambassador to the Yugoslav Government in London, who will have the rank of ambassador. Sir George Sanson. Minister at the British Embassy in

Washington, will be the British representative on the standing committee for the Far East as long as this committee continues to sit in Washington. Mr. Fconev, of Soviet Russia, has been appointed deputy-director-general in charge of the bureau of supplies in the Kuropcan regional office, with headquarters in London. Mr. Sokolowski, of Poland, has been appointed financial adviser to the director-general, and Mr. van Colder, of Canada, deputy-director-general in charge of finance and administ ration. AUSTRALIAN FOODSTUFFS OUTPUT NEVER HIGHER SYDNEY. Pol). 21 Australia hns sent food worth £219.000,000 to Britain and other Empire countries since the war began. This is reported by the Australian Director of Marketing, Dr. H. J. Hynes, who says that Australia is producing more food than ever before. Dr. Hynes said that Australia's 1041 "food targets for export and for the services include the following items: — Meat, 1,180,000 tons; milk. 1,200,000,000 gallons (.including cheese, condensed and powdered milk); butter, 175,000 tons: vegetables, ].250,000 tons; rice. (51,000 tons; sugar, 05,000 tons; canned fruit, 3,500,000 eases. Dr. Hvues said that until more labour and facilities were restored to the land the Australian civilian population would face certain food shortages. .Mechanisation was revolutionising vegetable production. EIGHTH ARMY PATROLS LONDON, Feb '_>o Fighth Army patrols have been active, inflicting casualties on the enemy and taking prisoners in operations in the mountains. They were hampered by deep enow and ico.