Evening star., 1943-12-13
German Line
0n|ta|y' 'sEast
Coast Cracked
9th Army Captures
Position Overlooking
Town of Ortonu
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS, Al
giers, Dec. l3.-Cracking a por-
ton of the new 15-mile- long
Adriatic line on which the Ger
mans have massed three divi-
sions, the British 9th Army has
captured elevated ground over
looking the seacoast town of Or
tona-anchor of enemy defenses
guarding roads both to Pescara
and Chieti.
Official adviceS today reported
fierce fighting along the entire Sec
tor. extending from Ortona, which
Is miles north of the Moro River
through Orsogna to Guardiagrele on
the slopes of the Maiella Mountains
which tower up to 5000 feet IS miles
in from the sea.
The new limited gains by Gen. Sir
Bernard l.. Montgomerys warriors,
which included widening of two more
river bridgeheads, came in the face
of strong enemy counterattacks in
that sector while lull prevailed on
the 5th Army front.
5000 Nazis Captured.
Headquarters announced. mean
while, that a total of 5000 German
prisoners have been taken by the
5th and 9th Armies since the first
landings in Italy.
Canadians, who previously had
punched out the first bridgehead
over the Moro River by driving up
the Adriatic coast through strong
enemy Notifications, ram m d
through to the high ground over
looking Ortona.
Farther inland other 9th Army
units fought their way to positions
dominating the lateral road from
Ortona to Orsogna and from these
heights we're able to prevent the
Germans from using the highway.
Alarmed over the progress of the
9th Army toward Pescara, the Ger
man command maSsed three divi-
Sions, plus other smaller units in
their line, These divisions were the
Goth Armored Grenadiers along the
coast, the 26th Armored Division in
the center in the vicinity of Orsosna
and the 65th Infantry farther inland
toward Guardiagrele Highly trained
Alpine units also were helping hold
the mountain positions inland.
German Attacks Futile.
German attempts yesterday to re-
gain lost ground from Gen. Mont
gomery's troops met with no more
success than tank-led Nazi blows
which British artillery broke up on
the previous day.
Offensive activity yesterday on
the 5th Army sector on the west
was limited to patrolling, after
American troops threw back a Ger
man force which attempted on Sat-
urday to recover an important
height a mile west of Filignano.
The German air force was out in
some strength over the battle area
Saturday, throwing an estimated 100
sorties into the air during the day,
but relapsed into its usual mac
tivity yesterday.
Bad weather likewise curtailed
Allied air operations although
fighters and fighter-bombers on Of
fensive patrols destroyed number
of motor vehicles near Chieti in the
Adriatic coastal sector and attacked
Itri on the Appian Way just above
Gaeta in the western sector.
Italian Air Force Active.
Medium bombers also ranged up
the Appian Way and attacked the
railway yards and an airfleld at
Terracina. 20 miles northwest of
Gaeta. All aircraft returned from
the days activities.
Meanwhile an official announce
ment disclosed that the Italian air
force, as we'll as Italian troops, have
begun active operations with the
Allies.
A formation of italian Savoia
Marchetti transport planes, escorted
by American Lightnings, recently
went to the aid of a beleaguered
Italian garrison In the mountains in
the interior of Yugoslavia, dropping
tons of supplies. One of the trans
ports landed and evacuated eight
wounded Italian soldiers and the
crew of plane destroyed on the
ground during an earlier supply
mission.