TIGERISH FIGHTING

Timaru Herald, Volume CLV, Issue 22786, 10 January 1944, Page 5

TIGERISH FIGHTING

San Vittore Wrested From Germans

Garrison Wiped Out

Cervaro Is Next Objective

By Telegraph—N.Z. Press Assn. —Copyright (Rec. 8 p.m.) LONDON, Jan. 8. The Allies have occupied San Vittore, on the Fifth Army front. Every German who was still inside the town when two American columns finally broke into the last streets is dead, wounded or taken prisoner. The Fifth Army has captured Guista, one mile north of San Vittore, reports the Algiers radio.

“San Vittore is a shambles,” states a correspondent. "We wrested it from the Germans after some of the most tigerish fighting since the original Fifth Army landings at Salerno. The clearing of the last Germans from the last houses was bitter work, but the German resistance crumpled when two infantry forces which had been working their way through the streets met in the middle of the town and, together, stormed the remaining German defence nests.”

Allied fighter-bombers are leapfrogging San Vittore and striking against the next objective— Cervaro. This village, which is two miles northwest of San Vittore, is the last defensive position before Cassino, states Reuter’s correspondent in Algiers. The Germans are hurriedly converting Cervaro into a fortress similar to San Vittore and San Pietro. Allied pilots have spotted troop concentrations and gun emplacements which, in spite of the most unfavourable weather, have been subjected to heavy air attacks. The Fifth Army has taken at least several hundred prisoners in its new drive and scores more are being brought in daily. Many prisoners had pamphlets, which were shot from the Allied guns, in their pockets when they were captured. Both sides are carrying out patrols on the Eighth Army front where snow and mist has reduced the fighting. The Germans are systematically destroying Francavilla, the last port before Pescara.

The official German News Agency’s military commentator states: “ft 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 Eighth and Fifth Armies, also the transfer of Lieutenant-General Mark Clark’s headquarters warrants the conclusion that the present attacks are the transition stage to a large-scale assault against the German front in southern Europe.”

Enemy Positions Strafed

Though bad flying weather restricted air operations along the whole of the Italian front on Thursday, fighters and fighter-bombers gave active support to the Fifth Army by carrying out divebombing and strafing attacks on enemy troops and gun positions, writes a correspondent at Allied headquarters. Invaders, Warhawks, and Spitfires flew through thick cloud, flying low over hills and mountains to make attacks in the Cervaro and Aquino areas. Invaders also flew further afield and carried out low-flying attacks against any targets they could find. They shot up a train east of Rome, leaving the locomotive and 10 coaches burning. They also attacked the town and railway at Fondi, south-east of Terracina, causing a number of explosions and starting fires.. .They also destroyed a Helnkel 111 and shot up a motor convoy. Twenty enemy aircraft Were intercepted by Americanflown Spitfires and two of them were Shot down, without loss. All heavy and medium bombers were grounded.

On Wednesday night heavy bombers of the Royal Air Force successfully attacked Rhodes harbour. The bombing was well concentrated and damage was caused to port facilities. Continuing bad weather again rendered,difficult the destruction of enemy shipping attempting to supply the occupied islands. Royal Air Force bombers and long-range fighters sank a number of loaded sailing ships intercepted near Monemvasio in southern Greece and north of Leros. From these and other operations two aircraft are missing.

The air communique states: "The aircraft factory at Maribor and the railway yards at Flume were attacked on Friday by escorted heavy bombers. A strong force of medium bombers were over railway communications north of Rome. At Pontdera the tracks were wbll covered, and at Lucca the repair shops and gasworks were hit. The Perugia airfield was well covered by bombs and several fires were left burning. Fighter-bombers and fighters co-operated with the ground forces and made sweeps over the Yugoslav coast, some merchant vessels being damaged. Four enemy aircraft were destroyed. Four of ourg are missing.

Enemy Blasted From Guista The Americans used grenades to blast the Germans from houses at Guista, says the Algiers correspondent of the British United Press. The Germans turned dwellings in this village into pillboxes and strongpoints as they did at San Vittore.

Fifth Army spearheads are within four miles of Cervaro, in which the Germans have concentrated artillery. The enemy suffered heavy casualties when zoned troops occupied San Vittore. One group of 200 scuttled out of their dugouts and tried to escape over the hills. The Americans opened rapid Tommy-sun lire on the Germans as they raced up the bald hillside, wiping them out to a man. Many Italians who emerged from the ruins were completely hysterical. For weeks they had lived in basements and dugouts, eating only popcorn and dried beans while a heavy battle ragec. around them.

Describing the fighting in San Vittorq, the military commentator of 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 three days, and the Americans had to fight every inch of the way.

Defences Dented

The capture of San Vittore made a further dent in the extensive network of defence installations which were erected to protect Cassino. Another dent was the capture of Monte Maao, 4000 ft. North-west of Acquafondata the fighting was particularly stiff, and the Germans have counter-attacked with some success. On the Eighth Army front fighting has been restricted by the condition of the ground, snowdrifts preventing any large scale operation.