The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-09-14
Enemy's Famous .88
 Guns Hammer Troops
(Continued from Page 1.)

at Policastro, 35 miles south of the Salerno bridgehead, which may have been a previously planned opera tion.)
 The American and British troops in the Salerno sector have repeated ly returned to the fierce battle on the beaches and on the roads sev- eral miles inland in an effort to ex- tend and consolidate their bridge head against the Nazi 18th and 18th Panzer divisions and the Hermann Goering division--all veterans of Africa. Allied airplanes from car- riers shot down 10 Nazi planes over the battle area and, with bombers hammered 60-mile arc of roads and bases around Salerno NaI air support also was increased.)
 Less Encouraging
 Dispatches from the front were less encouraging than the communi- que from Gen. Dwight D. Eisen- hower's headquarters, which mere ly describe the heaviest fighting of the war as follows:
 Heavy fighting continues on the 5th army front. The Germans are counter attacking desperately, and at certain points have regained some of the ground previously taken by us."
 (The German communique, which was much more modest regarding Nazi gains in the Salerno area than had been the News Agency DINE, said: Fierce fighting is still going on north of Salerno with British divisions, which are desperately de- lending themselves. After enemy attacks against heights south of Eboli had been boldly repulsed in hard fighting Monday morning, our troops started an attack on 8 broad front. Enemy positions were taken by storm and the enemy thrown back to his landing places. Bloody losses of the British and Americans are very severe. The Luftwaffe re- peatedly attacked enemy concentra- tions in the Gulf of Salerno with good success. One cruiser was set afire and three medium transports were damaged.")
 In comparing the situation at Sai- erno to Gallipoli, it was pointed out that the Germans hold the high ground and the Allied task is to break through and split their posi- tions while Gen. Sir Bernard l.. Montgomery's 9th army races up from the south as rapidly at 1t can overcome enemy demolitionS.
 It still was slightly over 100 miles from Salerno when it seized Bari, on the east coast. Cosenza, on the west side of the Italian toe, also was taken.
 Taking Up Arms
 Italians were taking up arms again in Southern Italy to aid the 9th Armys battle against the Ger mans, but there were many pock- cts of resistance-as at Gioia-to be cleaned up and many bridges were destroyed. The Germans also laid heavy mine fields.
 The British were in contact with the Germans at Gioia, 30 miles northwest of Taranto, where the British 5th corps was in action. The men of Montgomery, how ever, were advancing only about 20 miles a day and it was uncertain what kind of opposition they would encounter before they could attempt to join with the Americans and British at the Salerno bridgehead. Meantime, the NaZiS were throw ing everything into an effort to wipe out the Salerno invasion force and their superior positions in the hills gave them a great advantage. Amer ican mobile guns were hitting back but were at disadvantage as the enemy previously had fixed positions in the wooded heights.
 (The Nazi DINE Agency said that the Allies had two pattleships, many cruisers and destroyers and 50 to 60 transports and many landing craft southeast of Salerno to evacuate in. vasion troops. It said Allied posi- tions south of Eboli. IS miles south Of Salerno, were taken by storm and that the Allied position at ealerno had become hopeless.)
 Counter Attack
 The weight of the German coun- ter-attacks. backed by whitening aT- tillery barTages and swarnis Of dive- bombeTs, wTested some hard.won territory from the Fifth army, the eommunique acknowledged. but only ct heavy cost.
 4 front dispatch from Reynolds Packard, United Preas Staff Corr respondent with the Fifth army, ins dicated that the Germans were con. eentFating on the central sector of tae front in an apparent effort Co split the Allied nTldeehead. Other reports said ealeFno itself had changed hands several times.
 raFi, only q little more than 100 miles across the Italian boot from aalern0. fGil to q HFliinh column Ghat advfReed % the east coast at tho rate Of better than 70 miles ! @ amna Na.a.a WraI.4Tamf aa4A nMNm1aIIrs|