Evening star., 1943-11-25
British Crack Nazi Line in |ta|v
Win Smile Sangro Bridgehead;
Light Bombers Raid Berlin Aqain
Gains Are Held
Against Furious
Counteruttucks
MAN on Pace A.


MAP on Page A-2J
TOULON. SOFIA, TURIN hit by
Allied bombers. Story on page
By the Associated Press.
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS, Al
giers, Nov. 25.-Gen. Sir Bernard
L. Montgomery's British 9th
Army has battered its way across
the swollen Sangro River, the
toughest obstacle yet encoun-
tered in its march up the Italian
Peninsula, Allied headquarters
announced today.
A bridgehead 5000 yards wide and
1000 yards deep has been firmly
established and held against furious
counterattacks, 1t was stated.
In this first full-scale dent carved
by Gen. Montgomery's troops In the
so-called winter line set up by the
Germans, the enemy put up the
strongest resistance.
Reports reaching headquarters
said Nazi prisoners said they had
been ordered\to hold their positions
at all costs.
Germans Slash Back.
The onslaught across the river on
a front OF little more than 5 miles
was made during the past few
days" official reports said.
Veteran German forces imme-
diately began slashing back and
bloody fighting ragged as the British
slowly forced the enemy back dis
tance of nearly a mile and a half
from the northwest banks Of the
stream.
The bridgehead was established
In the lowland area near the rivers
mouth on the Adriatic and includes
the sites of one railroad trestle
and two highway bridges whose
restoration would insure a steady
stream Of reinforcements and sup
plies for the troops holding the
newly won ground.
Official sources announced that
the German 65th Infantry Division
was thrown against the British in
desperate counterattacks to prevent
a breach in the river line.
Toehold Gained in Flat Area.
The toehold across the Sangro
was gained in a fiat area which
still was overlooked by enemy gun
positions in the hily areas short
distance beyond the river. Gen.
Montgomery appeared likely to be
confronted with steadily increasing
resistance as the Germans gathered
their forces to prevent a deeper
penetration.
Advances announced yesterday
on Gen. Montgomery's left flank
brought the 9th Army against the
approaches to the Sangro River
line en- virtually It's entire length
from the Adriatic to point some
IS miles inland.
The 9Th Arny's achievement IN
blasting a way across the Sangro
was one of the most spectacular OF
the entire campaign. A military
commentator said lit was accom-
plished in the face OF four enemies
rain, mud, very swollen river and
q very determined enemy"
The Germans previously had util-
lied a lull imposed by bad weather
to deepen their defensive lines for
several miles behind the Sangro.
Thus the present bridgehead repre-
sented only an initial bite into a
formidable series Of strong points.
Last Big Water Barrier.
Establishment Of a bridgehead,
however, meant that the last big
water barrier short of the back
door to Rome had been hurdled.
The next stable stream which the
Nazis could use as substantial
defensive aid is the Pescara River,
Is miles up the Adriatic coast.
Twenty miles ahead of Gen. Mont
gomery's forces is Chieti, capital
of Abruzzi Province.
In the Apennines, near the center
of the italian front, the Nazis were
engaged in strong fighting In the
vicinity of Castel di Sangro and
we're subjected to intensive and de-
structive shelling by Gen. Mont
gomery's artillery.
West of Castel di Sangro the Al
lied forces, who on the preceding
day occupied the deserted ruins of
Alfedena, engaged in a number of
brisk skirmishes in the mountains
beyond the town.
Fifth Army Front Quiet.
Only artillery exchanges and pa
troll clashes were reported from the
5th Army front, where 1t still was
raining hard.
Braving storms which ordinarily
would have grounded most war
planes, the American and British
air force gave close support to the
9Th Army's smash across the lower
Sangro and were credited with high
ly effective results on enemy gun
positions, dumps and other targets.
American P-40 Warhawks, A-20
Bostons and B-25 Mitchells teamed
up with Raj Baltimores In forays
against enemy positions near Lam
ciano and Fossacessia, few miles
beyond the Sangro along the coast.
Their bombs touched of q big ex-
plosion, possibly an ammunition
dump, and also hit q crossroads and
railway station.
AIhon May Be Shifted
B ANKARA, Nov. IS R.-Mehmet
- l.