BADLY SHAKEN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 May 1944, Page 4

BADLY SHAKEN

'GERMANS IN ITALY SOUTHERN HALF OF NEW LINE LOST TO ALLIES AMERICANS ONLY 25 MILES FROM BEACH-HEAD (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) (Received This Day, 11.5 a.m.) LONDON, May 21. The German line to which most of the Germans fell back when the Hitler Line began to crumble ran from Terracina to Pico, through Fendi, which is now in Allied hands, says a British United Press correspondent. The French, advancing from Santa Oliva, are now almost on top of the Pico-Pontecorvo Road. The Germans, with the southern half of the Hitler Line gone, are fighting a losing battle fcr the northern part. The Eighth Army, the correspondent adds, is meeting the main wedge of resistance in the Liri Valley, where, although the Hitler Line outposts have caved in, the Germans have brought up reinforcements to Aquino. Allied tanks are now storming the defences. * The Eighth Army is driving along both sides of Highway 6, tire inland road to Rome. Anti-tank obstacles in this sector are being systematically cleared up. The engineers are also cleaning up Highway 6 for supplies and reinforcements to support the main Liri Valley drive. The Poles, to the north, after the capture of Piedemonte, are hammering against the main Hitler Line defences. A “Times” correspondent, referring to the booty captured in the newlyoccupied territory, says that, despite a stiffening of resistance, there is no doubt that the German Tenth Army has been badly shaken up. The capture of Fondi by the Americans brings them within' 25 miles of the Anzib beach-head perimeter. Reuter's correspondent at Allied Headquarters says the Fifth Army, as a result of the capture of Fondi, is now aligning itself threateningly against the 20 mile stretch of German defence switch line stretching from Terracina to Pico. An advance against Terracina will have to be made from Fondi, past Monte Sanbiago, which stand midway between, because there are no 'roads across the marshy coast area above Sperlonga. Pointing out the strategic value of the latest'advances, the correspondent says the entire coastal area below the Formia-Fondi Road has now been rendered useless to the Germans, whose only escane route from the area is the Appian Way, from the Terracina junction of the Itri-Pico and Fondi-Pico roads at present under attack by French troops. The Germans rushed all their self-propelled guns against the French attacking the junction, while an attempt was made to clear the mountain triangle between these two roads. The Allied forces tightly hem in two sides of this triangle. A desperate battle was being fought this morning as the Germans tried to get men and equipment safely behind the switch line. Other French forces, at Campodimele, are stabbing northward against the Pontecorvo-Pico defences, where the switch section of the Hitler Line is seriously threatened. ROME REPORTS BEACH-HEAD FORCES BREAKING OUT (Received This Day, 12.5 p.m.) LONDON, May 21. The Rome radio reports that the Anzio beach-head forces are attempting to break out to join up with the advancing Allies. Reuter’s correspondent with the Eighth Army says German prisoners are still being brought in from the heights around Monte Cassino, though the front line is now five miles to the westward, near Piedmonte. Poles, searching the heights, are constantly finding deep caverns in which remnants of the German force are still hiding, apparently afraid to give themselves up to the Poles. When the German garrison withdrew, many Germans deliberately went down the mountains to surrender to the British, in preference to being taken by the Poles. NO ORDERLY RETREAT MASSES OF EQUIPMENT LOST BY GERMANS (Received This Day, 11.44 a.m.) LONDON, May 21. A “Times” correspondent says the .German retreat has not conformed to the orderly withdrawal to prepared positions mentioned in German communiques. The French report that enormous quantities of military stores were captured intact. The Gaeta. Peninsula also yielded considerable quantities of stores to the Americans. There is evidence throughout the captured area of the effectiveness of the Allied artillery fire. Many of the enemy's minefields were laid down in a great hurry, which of course facilitates their discovery and removal. The Germans are now reinforcing their line with troops drawn from the Anzio sector. The Germans, covered as they now are by new and intact positions, may certainly be expected to offer a stubborn resistance, but the Allied forces, elated at having broken the deadlock, do not intend to be stopped. " RAPID ADVANCE OF THE ALLIED ARMIES. VITAL ENEMY DEFENCES MENACED. (Received This Day, 1.15 p.m.) LONDON, May 21. Late reports from correspondents in Italy say that French troops, pushing on along the road from Santa Oliva, are now 1000 yards from Pontecorvo, the kingpin of the Hitler Line. Canadian troops are converging against the town from the east. The rapid progress of the French threatens the Liri Valley from behind. The Americans are less than seven miles from Terracina. The Americans occupied Fondi yesterday. Its capture represents an advance of eight miles from Itri in 24 hours. A British United Press correspondent, cabling from the Anzio beachhead, says the Germans flooded part of the Pontine Marshes in the path of the Fifth Army troops advancing from the south, but the Terracina-Cisterna highway is well built up and cannot be seriously flooded,

SOVIET COMMENT

BEGINNING OF GENERAL OFFENSIVE (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.0 a.m.) RUGBY, May 21. The current Allied offensive in Italy, “where fighting is becoming increase ingly fierce, is viewed, not as an isolated operation, but as the beginning of a general offensive is this theatre of war,” says “Pravda,” in the first Soviet comment on the Italian offensive. “The break through at the Hitler Line has proved to the Germans that the Allies are capable of crashing any German defences and possess sufficient forces for this purpose. The increased Allied pressure will demand the transfer of enemy forces from the west, but this does not signify a weakening in the German defence there, particularly as the Germans understand that the Italian front is linked with the forthcoming invasion. Simultaneous pressure on the Eastern front is growing. Nervousness and confusion among the Germans shows how ripe and favourable the situation is for Allied [blows from the west.”