The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-01-26
Germans Pull
Troops Out
stars and stripes radiophoto, from NEA.
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Army southern fronts. Field cor
respondents also reported ten
dency on the part Of the Germans
to pull back generally along that
line.
The communique said only that
'in the Casino sector American
troops are advancing through mine
fields" without mentioning any &C
tive German resistance or the sta
tus of the town itself.
In the Tyrrhenian sector Of the
old front, British troops advanced
at several points and captured &C.
rocon Ridge, two miles due west of
Castelforte. There was no word OF
the fate of Castelforte, a few miles
inland above captured Minturno.
Only on the French sector of the
Fifth Army front were the Germans
able to maintain the intense pres
sure of a general counter offensive
mounted over the weekend.
In some of the fiercest fighting
since the Fifth Army struck in
force two weeks ago, heavy Ger
man counter thrust was beaten
back by the French Monday, but
the next day the Nazis again at
tackled and forced the French of
3,000-foot Mt. Croce some eight
miles north of Casino.
South of this mountain, however,
Gen. Alphonse Juin's troops scored
slight advances.
The Central Mediterranean head
quarters Of Gen. Sir Harold r. L. G.
Alexander still declined to disclose
the depth and width Of the Rome
beachhead, a spokesman said yes
terday that it had been extended
to within Is or 80 miles of Rome.
Supplies were flowing steadily
across the beaches through the ports
of Nettuno and Anzio, which are
relatively small fishing ports.
Well Planned
A naval spokesman emphasized
that "the waters of the Mediterran-
can didn't just open up and let the
Fifth Army troops make their end
run. The Allied navies carried them
in there in a well planned and thor
oughly organized amphibious oper-
alton"
There still was no official infor-
nation that the Americans had
crossed the Rapido In force and
captured Casino, however, and
Roper reported that the Germans
still held strong opposition on their
surrounding high ground.
Nevertheless, it was noteworthy
that the headquarters communiuue
covered actions only for the 24-hour
period ended yesterday noon.
I'm the Casino sector, American
troops are advancing through mine
fields" the communique said.
German counter attacks slack
ened generally along the Fifth
Army front as the Germans turned
to meet the growing threat to their
Hank, with the single exception of
the extreme northern sector.
Here, the Germans intensified
their attacks and drove the French
from 3,000-foot Mt. Crosse overlook
ing the Atina-Colli transverse road
ABOVE Casino in a hand-to-hand
struggle. South of Mt. Croce, how
ever, the French continued to make
slight advances.
The communique described the
battles in the French sector as of
the "see saw" variety with a bitter
struggle raging for important
Numerous patrol clashes were re-
ported from the Eighth Army front
with number Of German prison
ers taken.
Allied cruisers and destrovers wera
revealed to have bombarded the Ter
racina-F ormia highway just above
the western end of the Fifth ARMY
front Monday, possibly to pave the
way Tor further British advance
above Minturno.
The communique devoted only one
sentence to the fighting on the
northern beachhead below Rome:
IN the northern beachhead, Brit
ish and American troops have con-
tinued to press forward against
gradually increasing resistance"
Convoy Attacked
headquarters of Gen. Sir Harold
II. L. G. Alexander, commander for
the italian front, still declined to
disclose the width and depth of the
beachhead, though a spokesman yes
terday said it extended to within
rs to 80 miles Of Rome.
Light Allied naval forces roamed
north OF the beachhead Sunday
night and shot up a German con-
voy.
Fighters and fighter-bombers YES
terday maintained their constant
patrols over the beachhead and
bombed and machine gunned roads
and troop concentrations in the en-
emy's rear, while heavy bombers hit
railroad communications throughout
central Italy to hamper the move
ment Of reinforcements and supplies
to the threatened area.
Eleven enemy aircraft were de-
stroyed and three Allied planes were
lost.
The text of the communicate:
French troops Of the Fifth Army
are engaged in a bitter, see-saw
struggle with the enemy for posses
sion Of important heights several
miles northeast of Casino.
TN the Casino sector, American
troops are advancing through mine
fields.
''In the northern beachhead, Brit
ish and American troops have con-
tinued to press forward against
gradually increasing resistance"
Numerous patrol clashes occurred
on the Eighth Army front while
prisoners were taken.
Yesterday heavy bombers hit rail
communications In central Italy
Roads and bridges at Riei, Amelia
and Ceprano were bombed by me-
dunn bomberg. Light bombers at