The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1943-10-16
Naziis Prepare
For Siege Of
Rome

ny int national news seFb lCcI
Lieut. Gen. Mark ". Clark's Fifth
Army was well on the road TO Rome
today American and British arm
ed units smashed steadily forward
after puncturing the Volturno
River Line.
Having crumbled tho strong river
barrier that stood IN the way OF
their northward drive 10 libsrate
the eternal city. the Fifth Army
;rops smashed deeper into German
positions on 10th TANKS Soften
.nK the enemy with artillery bonn
bsrdments. the Allied forces then
hurled tank and infantry detach.
ments into the fray
Occasionally Hghting flsred into
the hand-to.hand type, al which
both the Yanks and Britons have
proved themselves adept Yard by
yard German forces gave ground
and It was but matter OF time
until the Allied army would gain
full control OF the strategic hill
positions dominating the west coast
plains and It's broad concrete high
ways leading directly into Rome
Collapse OF the Volturno River
line was effected by a frontal as
ssuit by main units OF the Fifth
Army while an amphiblous force OF
British troops surged ashore from
the Tyrrhenisn Sea TO beaches be
hind tho German POSITIONS. As the
two forces Joined, turning tho Nazl
wall. Cen. Clark hurled fresh re-
Inducements and supplies across
the rain-swollen River In support
OF his spearheads.
Swiss radio reports quoted the
Germans as admitting evacuation
OF the emil Volturno valley. while
a Cairo broadcast said the enemy
was preparing for a siege OF Rome
On the eastern end OF the Italian
front, the British Eighth Army
made steady progr after occu-
plying the town of Casacellends'
stss y Advances
The major European front In
Russia was mari ed by steady Red
army advances The recently
opened drive 10 II crate the Crlmea
gained momentum and hundreds
more Germans drowned a. advanc.
ing Russian troops hurled them
into the broad Dnleper River.
The drowning occurred a. pan
icky NAzi forces sought 10 escape
across the river after the fall OF
Zaporozhe. Russian official ctr
Giles announced that 1900 German
officers and men died in this way.
while other enemy casualties on
the long Russian front were high
Many Nazi dead we're counted
in the streets OF -elitopol. where
savage street fghting continued ds
the Red armies sought 10 clear
the southern Ukraine rail town OF
the invader. The Germans drew
many reinforcements from other
sectors 10 support vain counter
attacks In this area
Attacks Fierce
AT Kiey. too. fierce German coun'
ter.attacks avAiled little. and the
Soviet troops continued in their
drive on the vital city. In several
hours OF violent fighting. the Rus
SLAMS knocked ou' 81 OF 100 counter
attacking Mari tanks.
Enemy opposition also was slim
around Gomel. but further Russian
advances were scored there. too.
Continue offensive
Gen. Douglas MacArthur's air.
men continued their mounting of
fsnsiye against Jap positions north
and east OF Australia. Following
up their recent devastating assault
upon the key Rabsul base on New
Britain, the Allied fliers bombed
three sirdromes on that island.
The fields and military installa.
lions OF Cape Hoskins. Cape Glou-
cester and Lindenhafen were blast
ed and fires started. Some AZ tons
OF explosives were dumped on the
Cape Gloucester objective. and 30
more tons OF bombs hurtled down
upon the 'drome and installations
at Alexishafen. near the enemys
base OF Madang on New Guinea
or the ground situation on New
Guinea, where Australian jungle
fighters are advancing up the Ramu
Valley toward Madang, Gen. Mac
Arthur's cornmuniaue said
"Our ground forces are maiptain.
ing pressure on the enemy and in'
flicting punishment on his forward
elements
The Jap base on Maxim Island.
one OF the principal Gilberts posi-
lions. was again hammered BY land.
based liberstors OF the United
States Navy. No details OF dam-
age done on the raid were revealed
in the Navy Communique. All the
Ameriran n1anez returned safely