Evening star., 1944-02-17
Fierce Tank Battle Breaks Lu|I
As Nazis Open BeachheadDrive
Allied Lines Reported Holding
Germans Throw In
Full Strength
Above Anzio
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS
Naples, Feb. ia fierce tank
battle has broken the lull on the
beachhead south of Rome, with
the Germans launching heavy
attacks in the Carroceto april
la sector, 10 miles north oil
Anzio, but all evidence today in
dicated the Allied forces were
holding against continuing
enemy thrusts.
An announcement at headquarters
said the Germans struck yesterday
morning after heavy artillery
preparation. Both sides threw tanks
into the heavy fighting.
The Americans and British were
said to be grimly holding to their
positions in the face of tremendous
pressure.
1t was the second all-out German
attempt to smash the Allied beach,
head. The Nazis were said to be
throwing their full force of infan-
try, tanks and artillery into the
struggle, which was hourly increas-
ing in violence.
Nine NaZi Planes DOwned.
Enemy aircraft swung into the
battle in unusual force, some 100
sortles attacking objectives in the
battle zone. But the Allied air
forces met the air attack, blow for
blow, shooting down nine of the
attackers and blasting targets in the
fighting area.
The beachhead fighting far eclipsed
that in strategic Casino, where
American forces still were bitterly
contesting the Nazi stranglehold
house by house. RAF and Austria
liam KittyhaWks again bombed the
ruins of the Monte Casino Mon
astery American planes hit Ger
man positions elsewhere on Abbey
Hill.
In a day of extensive and wide
ranging air activity Allied bombers,
large and small, and fighters flew
approximately 1000 sorties. The en-
emy railway yards in Rome were hit
for the second straight day and
heavy and medium bombers attacked
communicate tions at many points
north of the Italian capital. Four
Allied planes were lost.
The sweeping air offensive COW
cred Is main and secondary rail
lines around Rome,
Tanks Support Nazi Drive
After the long and concentrated
German artillery barrage yesterday
morning the first enemy shock troops
struck in the first phases of the new
beachhead attack with tanks in sup
port. The Allied armor Immediately
went into action against them.
The Germans kept coming in
waves throughout yesterday and last
night.
The enemy attack around Car
roceto came in an area where much
of the previous heavy fighting had
taken place. Various vantage points
in the sector have changed hands
several times. Carroceto itself was
in German hands at latest report.
The Germans opened the new
offensive after apparently recovering
from losses suffered in the first
major effort to drive American and
British troops into the sea, but dur
ing the lull the Allies also had built
up new strength and were ready for
and expecting the assault.
Alexander Optimistic.
In statement released yesterday,
Gen. Sir Harold Alexander, COM
mander in chief of Allied forces in
Italy, declared the Americans and
British were winning the second
round of the bridgehead battle and
ultimately would smash to Rome
without assistance from the Casino
front.
There is absolutely no Dunkerque
here-there's no basis for pessimistic
rubbish" he told his troops three
days ago.
On the lower 5th Army front AL
lied artillery laid many shells during
the day among German traffic on
highway 6 leading out of Casino
and miles westward Allied troops
engaged the enemy in sharp clash
on Albaneta Ridge.
While the Monte Casino Monas-
terry has been reduced to ruins the
Germans are holding out in a net
work of strong pillboXes around it,
and this has apparently prevented
ground troops from occupying the
crest of Abbey Hill.
In Casino itself the fighting was
less intense than on previous days.
Toward the coast in the Garigliano
area British patrol cleared the
enemy from house. killing five,
several miles north of Suia.
On the 9th Army front along the
Adriatic patrols were active, includ-
ing those sent out by newly-arrived
Polish troops. Canadian artillery
fire caused large explosion and fire
near Francavilla. An Indian forma-
ton dispersed an enemy party of
80 forming up near Orsogna.
The air attack on Rome, directed
against the 11burtlna and OStlenSe
Railroad yards, cascaded high ex-
plosives into great clusters of freight
cars, the majority of which were
loaded with supplies to feed the
German offensive on the beachhead.
The Allied air superiority was
brought into play in one of the
biggest air attacks of the entire
italian campaign. The 1900 sorties
flown during the day were directed
chiefly against German forces ring
ing the beachhead, but heavy and
medium bombers also swept into
Northern Italy to attack communi-
cations.
Last night Wellngtons scattered
blockbusters among the enemy
forces below Rome and other night
bombers flew into Northwest Italy
and attacked harbor objectiyes at
San Stefano near the French bor-
der.
The Allied air offensive threw
hard blows against railroads wher-
ever German reinforcements and