GERMAN ATTACKS AT ANZIO

Southland Times, Issue 25334, 10 April 1944, Page 5

GERMAN ATTACKS AT ANZIO

Enemy Easily Beaten Off

(Rec; 8/45 p.m.) LONDON, April 8. Several small attacks were made by the German forces along the northeast boundary of the Anzio beach-head during Friday night, when brilliant moonlight made the battlefield as bright as day. The German forces were supported by fighter-bombers, which ranged over the forward areas bombing and strafing, and by heavy artillery concentrations. All the attacks were easily repulsed with losses to the enemy. While the battles were going on enemy tanks were observed west of Casterna. Fifth Army guns opened out on them and they quickly withdrew. During our shelling an enemy ammunition dump was nit and ammunition supplies continued to explode for some time. The shelling by both sides was heavy on Saturday. The enemy employed as many guns and shells during the, day aS he has been using lately" forriiis night offensives. GERMAN UNITS IN LINE Two enemy units are reported to have reappeared on l the line on’ the Anzio beach-head, writes a correspondent. One is revealed to be the 7th Luftwaffe Battalion, composed of military offenders who have been given an opportunity of redeeming themselves by combat service. The identification of the other units is not detailed. On the Anzio beach-head Allied ground flak has destroyed 157 enemy planes and probably destroyed 101 since the initial landing on January 22. There are Patrol clashes and artillery activity along the whole area. A combat patrol in front of the beach-head slightly improved our positions by establishing a strong-point area. In the north and dentral sector the enemy remains on the defensive, but patrols are active on both sides and frequent attempts to infiltrate our lines have been frustrated throughout two days. Following successive days of fire enemy buildings on the east are gradually crumbling. Allied artillery successes are reported on the Bth Army front. In the mountainous central sector enemy patrols approaching our forward positions were engaged and repulsed five miles north-east of Cassino and casualties were inflicted on an enemy working party iri the Terrelle area. In the Garigliano Valley a reduction of enemy fire was reported during the course of artillery duels near the coast. German activity included harassing fire against three heights north-east of Cassel Forte. Continuing their heavy bombardment of the Anzio beach-head, the Germans on Friday for the first time in this sector sprinkled shells containing propaganda leaflets among high explosives, says Reuter’s correspondent at Allied headquarters. The . enemy fire was concentrated against this area south of Carrocetto, from which Allied troops drove off a strong German patrol. The Cassino area remained comparatively quiet. KING VICTOR EMMANUEL Demand For Abdication (Rec. 7 p.m.) LONDON, April 8. Count Carlo Sforza and Signor Benedetto Croce told a meeting of the junta of combined anti-Fascist leaders at Naples that King Victor -Emmanuel during negotiations with Signor Enrico Denicola, formerly Speaker of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, gave a pledge to delegate his powers to Prince Umberto immediately after the Allied entry into Rome. Count Sforza and Signor Croce, however, are demanding that the King should fulfil his pledge without awaiting the reoccupation of Rome. The junta unanimously adopted a resolution declaring that the immediate constitution of an Italian war government was urgently necessary and suggesting that this could be accomplished by negotiations between King Victor and Signor Denicola. ITALIAN OFFICER SHOT (Rec. 7 p.m.) LONDON, April 8.. Paris radio announced that the first of eight high-ranking Italian officers, whom a special military tribunal at Turin sentenced to death for treason, was shot this morning. GREAT SANDSTORM Area Of Egypt Blanketed (Official News Service). ITALY, April 5. New Zealanders in Italy who have sighed for Egypt’s constant sunshine, while mentally excluding the equally constant dust,. have reason to be glad they have been out of that country during the past week, when a great sandstorm shrouded an immense area, including Cairo, Alexandria and the Western Desert, with a fog of grit. Air liners were grounded and the temperature rose above 100 degrees. Hundreds of cars were stranded with boiling radiators. Defying the worst sandstorm in the Sinai Desert within living memory, Royal Air Force pilots and thousands of troops carried out daring operations to relieve the distress of hundreds of passengers of two trains buried deep in sand between Egypt and Palestine.