Evening star., 1943-10-30
5th Army Storms Across Canal
To Take Italian Town at Base
OfNozi Lines Western Anchor
IS Villages Captured;
FIonking Movement
ImperiIs Germans
MAP on Page A-4.)
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS,
AlgierS, Oct. 30.-BritiSh troops
of the 5th Army, storming across
the Regia Canal in a 3-mile
plunge, have occupied the sea-
side town of Mondragone at the
base of Mount MaSSico, western
anchor of the new German line
in Italy, it was announced today.
Mondragone is 80 airline miles
south of Rome.
Farther inland, American forces
developed a flanking threat agains.
Mount MaSsico and captured Pietra-
vairano The village was described
officially as "a very important fea-
ture on very high ground which
gives the 5th Army control of ele-
waited areas on both sides of the
upper Volturno and provides OBJ
serva ation over a network of roads
due west" including the main high
way from Capua to Rome.
simultaneously, the British 9Th
Army to the east forged ahead to
take Montemitro. on the lower bank
of the Trigno River IA miles inland
from their bridgehead in the San
Salvo area, where the heaviest fight
ing on the Italian front still ragged
Is Towns Are Captured.
About Is towns in all fell to the
Allied advance, which was hindered
by heavy rains and mud in all sec
tors. Mule transport had to be sub
stituted for motor vehicles in some
mountainous localities.
Meanwhile, in the air, Flying
Fortresses ranged far north of the
battle line to blast Genoa in heavy
raid, the first made on Italy's
greatest port by aircraft based in
the Mediterranean area.
The British sprang from trenches
and foXholes along the southern
banks of the Regia Canal to take
Mondragone. They had been held
to that line, paralleling the lower
Volturno River, for more than a
week by heavy enemy fire from the
lower slopes of Massico Ridge.
Mondragone was deserted, and an
Allied officer said the town had be-
come valueless to the Germans, who
would make their important stands
from the ridge itself. Several bridge
heads forced across the canal all
along the line remained under fire
Of long-range German guns.
Four Mile Advance.
American troops drove forward 4
miles to capture Pietravairano, l512
miles north of Capua and miles
southwest of Raviscanina.
Capture of Pietravairano, 81 miles
northeast of Mondrag gone, opened
the way for possible sweep around
Massico.
Also captured in this push were
Pietramelara, four and one-half
miles northeast of Sparanise, and
numerous small villages, including
San Pasquale, Assana, Visciano, San
Felice and San Antonio Abate.
1t also yielded possession of Ponte
di Raviscanina-a bridge over the
Upper Volturno-and the entire lat
eral road running from Raviscanina
southwest.
The British drive in the western
coastal sector carried through sew
eral small villages, among them
Santa Nicola, Cappabianca, Sara
ceni, PizZone and Santa Andrea.
Forces Approach Teano.
The whole trend of the American
advance appeared to be westward
from the upper Volturno area to
gain further control of the main
road north from Capua toward
Rome.
A drive from the south carried 1t.
Gen Mark w. Clark's forces within
miles of Teano, important secon-
dairy road center.
The furious fighting around the
9th Army's bridgehead over the
Trigno on the Adriatic sector was
seen by one high officer as an indi-
cation that the enemy is just COM
pleting withdrawing his rearguards
to very strong defensive positions
and intends to defend with great
determination his new and highly
favorable line extending southwest
from Vasto"
Immediately north of San Salvo
the Nazis hold an 8O0-foot hill, Civ
Ing them excellent observation over
all British lines Farther inland
along the Trigno in series of hills
dominating the narrow valley at all
points, the Germans have concen-
trated great numbers of mortars,
artillery and machine guns.
Rail Yards Pounded.
Genoa had been bombed previ-
ously by England-based planes, but
Yesterdays raid was the first on the
seaport and important rail junction
from the Mediterranean area.
The Fortresses went over the rail
yards in two waves, blasting them
from end to end with high explos-
(See ITALY, Page A-4.)
Ramirez Resignation Seen
IL c0o Il Il C.u. I,,.l.