Evening star., 1943-11-03
Nazis' 'MountoinLine
Crockedby
Key Heights Seized
Other Units Win
New High Ground
Before Venofro
ey the Associated Press.

ey the Associated Press.
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS
Algiers, Nov. 3.-The Allied 5th
Army has seized the heights o1
MasSico Ridge, western anchor
of the Germans line in Italy
and nearby Mount San Croce tc
gain complete observation OF
enemy positions in the broad
Garigliano River Valley, head
quarters announced today.
The valley between the north edge
Of Massico and San Croce Mountains
is only 8 miles from the Gulf oi
Gaeta, and an Allied officer declared
that the Nazis, who previously had
concentrated many guns between
the western slopes and the sea, ARE
obviously confronted with the ne
cessity of withdrawing or facing an
initiation"
Cracking of this strong mountain
line was described as the breaking
of one more of Romes defenses."
Win New High Ground.
American units on the right flank
routed the NaziS from the last
heights before Venafro and won new
high ground covering the extreme
upper Volturno River Valley. across
which an assault against Venafro
and other strong points in the
mountain line would have to be
launched.
A 3-mile advance there swept up
Pratella, 9 miles southeast of Ven-
efro, and Gallo, about the same
distance below Isernia.
British and Canadian troops of
the 9th Army battered forward to
establish new bridgehead over the
Trlgno River OH the Adriatic flank.
This new crossing was an undis T..
closed distance inland from the
original bridgehead near San Salvo
close to the rivers mouth.
Five Miles Above Teano.
Official reports from 1t. Gen. Mark
w. Clarks headquarters said British
forces of the 5th Army hammered
their way onto commanding heights
of both the 2,500-foot Massico Ridge
and San Crose Mountain, some S
miles northwest of Teano and 4
miles north of the point where the
main coastal highway to Rome skirts
the northern edge of Massico Ridge.
The extent OF this advance
through 4-mile-wide gap in the
mountain range toward the Garigli-
arlo River was not specified.
Behind his advance elements Gen.
Clark moved up artillery which,
with benefit of the full observation
Of the Garigliano Valley. oould cas-
ily shell any enemy forces remain
ing on the west side of Massico
Ridge along the sea coast.
To reach favorable new mountain
positions the Germans would have
to pull back across the Garigliano
to the high Aurunci Mountains be-
hind Minturno, IA miles from the
present battle area. There is every
indication, however, that the Nazis
will fight slow, stubborn rear
guard action before relinquishing
any part Of the Garigliano Valley.
Nazi Tanks in Action.
Severe and bloody fighting marked
the 5th Army gains. Nazi tanks
went into action in the Upper VOL
turno area, but failed to dent the
salient the Americans thrust into
enemy lines there.
The Canadians and British cross
Ing the Trigno also met heavy
opposition, but this was countered
by effective use of British artillery
In their fresh stab capturing
Pratella and Gallo, the Americans
also chased the enemy from the
important mountain town of Val
rano and the little villages of Prata
Prata Sannita, Ciorpella, Corricella
Greci, Pozzo and Marzanella. They
also won valuable crossing at
Scala di Vairano over the Upper
Volturno.
Many Villages Fall.
Although there was no formal
announcement of their capture, the
5th Arny's drive onto Massico Ridge
0llO SoIl SIONC NIOUllldllI pI CSOllld-
bly, carried these troops through
the towns of Caianello, Furnolo
Santa Guiliana, Casale. Roccamon-
fiini, Torano, Fontanelle and many
smaller villages.
1t was disclosed officially that the
Canadian Three Rivers Tank Regi-
ment and Irish Guards Brigade
carried out the amphibious landing
at Termoli early in October on the
Adriatic coast which caught the
Germans by surprise and sent then
reeling back toward their present
Trigno River line.
Light bombers and fighter
bombers continued to blast enemy
bridges. gun positions and motor
transport in the battle area and
night bombers pounded airfelds.