Evening star., 1944-01-24
Allies Advance 4 Miles Inland
Begin Smelling Highway to Rome;
Americans Thrown Back in South
Nuzis ATTACKING
FierceIy Along
Casino Front
LANDING pictures on Page BIZ


BY the Associated Press.
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS, Al
gierS, Jan. 24-American and
British troops, driving miles
inland, are less than 80 miles
from Rome and have brought
the Appian Way under shellfire
from their long beachhead above
the Pontine Marshes, Allied
headquarters announced today.
A German broadcast said Allied
forces were advancing from the
Nettuno area toward Littoria, -
miles east of Nettuno and only
miles from the Appian Way. Lit
toria is the main center of the agri-
cultural development in the marshes,
and an Allied advance in that direc-
ton would be away from Rome in
stead of toward it.
Meanwhile, however, the German
10th Army has gone over to the
offensive on the whole Casino front,
so miles to the southeast. In
series of violent day and night
counterattacks the Germans threw
the Americans back across the
Rapido River.
1T is apparent that the German
command hopes to disrupt the entire
5th Army front to gain time to
turn around and deal with the
threat in their rear" a military
commentator at Allied headquarters
said.
Troops Still Pouring Ashore.
The Americans had seized
bridgehead across the Rapido 3
miles below Casino, in conjunction
with the Allied landings near Rome,
but were Immediately attacked in
force by the Germans who had been
augmented by three divisions with
drawn from the Rome area only
few days ago.
AS result of the shift of the
Germans the seaborne forces at
Netturno still were expanding their
miles-long bridgehead without meet
ing effective opposition, headquar-
ters announced American and Brit
ish troops and supplies still are
pouring ashore.
The Allies captured Nettuno, it
was stated officially for the first
time; hold the coast for several
miles both north and south of that
small port, and have brought the
Appian Way under their guns.
IL Miles From Beaches.
This road, the main coastal high
way between Rome and the Ger
mans southern front, is only II
miles from the beaches. and the
4-mile Allied advance placed the
Americans and British within 8
miles of the artery.
The road also was within range
of Warships offShore.
"a German communique ad-
mitted that no jor opposition
had yet been offered to the
Allies at Nettuno, but declared
one destroyer was sunk and
cruiser and two smaller naval
craft we're hit in German air
attacks)
The German air force still had
not been able to give battle over
the bridgehead and only four enemy
planes were sighted there by Allied
patrols all day yesterday. But
American Spitfres intercepted a
force of so to so Junkers, Heinkels
and MesserschmittS which attempted
to bomb ships off the beaches and
shot down six Nazi bombers near
Elba
Installations Taken Intact.
Nettuno was captured SO quickly
Saturday that the harbor installa-
tions were taken intact. Although
the unloading capacity of this sum-
mer resort is small as is that of the
small harbor of Anzio to the north,
long stretches of beach can be used
to pour in supplies and reinforce
ments as at Salerno last September
Besides Nettuno, one other coast
line town has been captured, front
line dispatches reported, but its
name was not given.
The whole Italian situation had
developed into race to see if the
Allied amphibious force can straddle
the Appian Way and the Via CAST
lima 10 miles farther inland with
sufficient strength to meet the Ger
mans when they turn around from
the Casino front.
Followed BY Heavier Gear.
The first men to swarm ashore
we're heavily laden with yellow
grenades, bazookas and 81 millimeter
shells, and they soon were followed
by heavier gear.
Much depends on the 5th Army
troops along the land front to the
South. If they hold against the
furious German counterassaults and
have enough offensive strength left
to press forward when the Germans
attempt to disengage they could