COASTAL AREA

Waikato Times, Volume 194, Issue 22354, 22 May 1944, Page 3

COASTAL AREA

USELESS TO GERMANS ESCAPE ROAD THREATENED LOSING BATTLE IN NORTH (United Press Assn.— Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received May 22, 1 p.m.) LONDON, May 21 Further substantial progress has been made by the Fifth and Eighth Armies in their relentless onslaught in Italy despite stiff German resistance. On the Appian Way the American capture of Fondi brings them within 25 miles of the Anzio beachhead perimeter. Reuter’s correspondent at Allied headquarters says the Fifth Army as a result of the capture of Fondi is aligning itself threateningly against a 20-miles stretch of the German defence switch line stretching from Terracina to Pico. The advance against Terracina will have to be made from Fondi past Monte San Biagio, which stands 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 is rendered useless to the Germans, whose only escape from the area is the Appian Way from Terracina, the junction of the Itri-Pico and Fondi-Pico roads, which is under attack by French troops. The Germans rushed, up self-pro-pelled guns against the French attacking the junction while an attempt was made to clear the mountain triangle between these two roads. Allied forces tightly hem in two sides of the 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 Campo di Mele are stabbing northward against the Pontecorvo-Pico defences, where the switch section of the Hitler Line is seriously threatened. The German line to which most of the Germans fell back when the Hitler Line began to crumble ran from Terracina to Pico through Fondi, which is in Allied hands, says the British United Press correspondent. The French advancing from San Oliva are almost on top of the PicoPontecorvo road. Tb.e Germans, with the southern half of the Hitler Line gone, are fighting a losing battle for the northern part. The Eighth Army 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 Aguino. Allied tanks are storming the defences. The Eighth Army is driving along both sides of Highway 6, the inland road to Rome. Anti-tank obstacles in this sector are being systematically cleared up. 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.

The Times correspondent, referring to the booty captured in the newlyoccupied territory, considers that despite the stiffening resistance there is no doubt that the German Tenth Army is badly shaken up. The correspondent adds that the retreat has not conformed to the “orderly withdrawal to prepared positions” mentioned in the 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 discovery and removal. The Germans are reinforcing the line with troops drawn from the Anzio sector. The Germans, covered as they now are by new intact positions, may certainly be expected to offer stubborn resistance, but the Allied forces, elated at having broken the deadlock, do not intend to be stopped. Fighter-bombers were active yesterday in support of the ground troops and against the foiward enemy line and communications, stated an Italy air communique. Among the targets were gun positions, troop concentrations, defended areas, road and railways, rolling stock, motor transport, a tunnel near Terracina and a bridge north-east of Rome. Other fighter-bombers attacked shipping off the Dalmatian coast and a factory at Castiglione Elio. Fighters patrolled the front line areas. Bad weather prevented heavy and medium bombers from operations. Six of our aircraft are missing, No enemy aircraft were sighted. The Mediterranean air forces flew 640 sorties. Little Opposition in Air The Exchange Telegraph’s Naples correspondent reports that over 1300 tons of bombs were showered on targets close behind the German lines in the past week by light bomoers and fighter-bombers operating in close support of the Allied armies. Heavy and medium bombers operating farther afield in the battle of supplies dropped a further 7250 tons on varied objectives. The week’s sorties aggregated 13,710, from which 71 aircraft failed to return. Against this effort the Luftwaffe put in a meagre 109 appearances over the battle areas

The correspondent adds that the latest communique from the Italian Patriot Movement announces acts of sabotage including cutting the railway line in two places near Verona causing two derailments and the destruction of 17 cars loaded with war material. Vehicles were destroyed with hand grenades near Lecco and four patriots were killed. The industrial plant of Bellinzargo Novarese, working for the Germans, was set on fire.

The Rome radio reports that the Anzio beachhead 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, through the front line now five miles westward. Near Piedmonte the 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. The American Associated Press correspondent reports that General Mark Clark, commanding the Fifth Army, had a narrow

escape when a well-disguised booby trap concealed on an abandoned German gun blew up less than 25 feet from him this morning. The explosion seriously wounded one soldier and injured several others.