The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-03-25
Re-Toke Part
Of CosSino
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CContlnueu from Page ID
lieved to be 90 feet below the sur
face In some sectors and 10 to 20
In others, probably explain how so
many Germans survived the furious
Allied aerial bombardnent that vir-
tually obliterated the town on
March IS, how the enemy has been
able to bring UP achievements de-
spite the way the Fifth Army's ar
tIllery has been raking the outskirts
Of Casino, and how more Nails
suddenly appeared up In the Con-
tinental hotel after It's garrison ap-
peared to have been wiped out.
German engineers were believed
to have improved the tunnels by
digging connecting passages and
making new entrances to meet mill
tary needs.
There was light shelling south Of
Casino, where Allied artillery start
ed q number OF fires In the enemy
lines. On the lower Garigllano river
the enemy shelled Minturno without
damage. Patrolling was reported
elsewhere on the main front.
On the Anzio beachhead below
Rome, Fifth army artillery stopped
number Of enemy tanks" TWO
tanks were knocked out east OF APP
rilia, near the center Of the beach
head perimeter, and five others
fired upon by artillery were believed
destroyed near Cistrna. A patrol
clash was reported near Aprilia.
Enemy artillery kept up a cease
less pounding Of Allied beachhead
positions Thursday night and all
day yesterday. concentrating on the
Anzio and Nettuno areas. The
weather was cloudy with showers on
both Fifth army fronts.
The usual patrols were out on the
Eighth army front where the enemy
shelled the Ortona lateral road near
the coast. Later Allied artillery fired
on group Of horse drawn German
vehicles, including four small guns
or heavy mortars.
Early yesterday artillery dispersed
an enemy party yelling 8S-a MILL
meter guns into position southeast
Of Tollo. Enemy observation post
building north of Tollo were en-
gagged by tanks and self-propelled
guns north OF Tollo with good re-
suits" The weather was cold with
some rain and snow in the noun
tains.
Billy MltchelIs
Unescorted Billy Mitchell medium
b omb ers attacked enemy lines
around Casino yesterday, concen-
trating on Piedmonte and Castro
cielo, five and 10 miles west Of the
town, while other Mitcheils ham,
mered industrial targets at Leghorn,
on the west coast north of Rome.
Marauders bombed a railroad
bridge northwest Of Orvieto, cutting
the track to the south, and met OPP
position from six enemy fighters,
but it was ineffective. Baltimores
attacked railroad yards at Sulmona,
20 miles south of AveZzano, on the
Eighth army front.
Large numbers Of German fight
ers battled Liberators which ranged
as far north as Rimini to bomb tar
gets along the italian east coast
railroad line. Crews reported good
coverage" of the Rimini rail yards
and hits on bridges yards and tracks
at Fano, IS miles southeast, at Sem
igallia, is miles northeast of Ancona
at Ancona itself and at Giullianova,
northeast Of Pescara.
10 Shot Down
Ten German fighters were shot
down by the Liberators and their
escorting Thunderbolts and Light
nings in at least l6 separate air
battles with the unusually agrees
sive' Nazis.
A small formation Of flying fort"
resses bombed the Jugoslav har-
bors OF Sibenik and Split while
coastal air force Spitfires were
bombing and strafing chipping and
shore targets elsewhere along the
Dalmatian coast. Airacobras attack
ed similar targets along the italian
west coast.
Spitfires destroyed five enemy
planes over the Casino area and
Thunderbolts shot down two more
In attacks during the bombing mis-
sions on the railroads northwest OF
Rome. Warhawks and Invaders
hammered gun positions between
Casino and Piedmonte and along
a vital stretch of the via Casilina,
linking Casino with Rome.