Evening star., 1943-10-10
Germans Reported
Retreoting to Line
IS Miles North
MAP on Page A-3.)
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS
ALG1ERS, Oct. 9.-American 5th
Army patrols have smashed
across the Volturno River, where
the Nazis have chosen to fight
the first round in the battle for
Rome, and clashed in hit-and-
run engagements with German
troops reinforced by an entire
new division, headquarters an
nounced today.
The Cairo radio said in
broadcast recorded in London
late Saturday that Allied forces
had crossed the Volturno "on a
broad 'front.' The Germans were
retreating to positions along the
Garigllano River some Is to 20
miles north of the Volturno and
30 to IS miles from Rome, the
broadcast added
Caserta, strategic rail and high
way center Is miles north of Ma
pies, fell to the 5th Army as the
last enemy resistance on the south
side of the Volturno and Galore
Rivers was wiped out and front
dispatches said the Allies now were
in control of the Volturnos south
bank along a front at least 30
miles in Ierotb
Patrols Encounter Heavy Fire.
The 5th Army patrols crossed the
raln-sWollen stream under the cover
Of darkness, took number Of
Smacks at the enemy and encoun-
tered considerable return fire, some
of it from artillery.
Their task is 10 probe German
positions along the north bank of
the river and feel out the enemv's
mettle there.
Relman NORM. Associated Press
correspondent with the 5th Army,
said in a dispatch from the front
that Allied troops had reached the
Volturno along its whole length
from the mountains to the sea''-a
distance of approximately 30 air.
line miles.
A communique from Allied head
quarters said the American 5th Army
IN the west and the British 9th
Army In the east both advanced
two to three miles in spite of heavy
rains which caused floods in some
areas.
Although the bad weather con-
tinued, bomber and fighter SQUAD
rons OF the Northwest African Air
Forces kept up their hammering
OF enemy supply lines on both sides
OF the Italian mainland and teamed
with Middle East air units to smash
at Nazi air fields in Greece. Crete
and the Dodecanese.
German Flank Threatened.
MI. Morln'S front line dispatch.
dated today. said the Voltlrno
crossing by American and British
patrols was made west of Benevento
IN an area where American troops
their advance slowed but not halted
by the rains, were making steady
progress and were threatening the
German left flank. Heavy artillery
bombardment is continuing and the
Germans are subjected to relentless
PRESSURE he said.
While 1t. Gen. Mark w. Clark's S
forces were in complete control of
the south bank of the Volturno. an
officer at headquarters emphasized
that reports from the battle area
indicated that no major body of the
5th Army had yet crossed the river.
'NBC Correspondent Merrill
Mueller reported from the 5th
Army front that although only
our patrols have so far crossed
the river, the signal for the main
force to fight its way to the
other bank is expected momen-
tarily."D
Ihe patrols which fought their
way across the stream ran into brisk
small-arms and light artillery fire
There is every indication the
Germans intend to try their best to
hold there headquarters spokes-
man declared.
The new German division hurled
into the battle was the Sd Armored
Grenadiers, once regarded as
crack combat unit.
cine Paris radio declared that
the Allies now have 20 divisions in
action in Italy, including fresh
remtorcements for the 5th ArmvD
AS the fight for Rome and Central
(See ITALY, Page A-4.)