Evening star., 1944-02-28
Artillery Duel
More Intense
In Anzio Area
Sharp Increase in
Fighting Also Noted
On MoIettu River
BY the Associated Press.

On Molettu River
BY the Associated Press.
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS,
Naples, Feb. ga sharp in
crease in fighting in the last two
days along headwaters of the
Moletta River southwest of Car
roceto was announced today as
artillery duelling rose in intensity
along the Anzio battle front.
Allied headquarters said British
troops in that sector had stormed
and captured two buildings that the
Germans had converted into strong
points. Comparative quiet has
existed heretofore along the Mo-
letta, which empties into the sea II
miles above Anzio and extends al
most due east to within a mile of
Via Anziate, the highway running
from Anzio to Carroceto and Rome.
simultaneously with the increase
IN artillery fire, an American cruiser,
standing close to shore, poured
shells into German gun positions
yesterday.
Persistent German efforts to in
flltrate through ravines south of
Carroceto were frustrated by Amer
lean artillery, headquarters an
nouncement said.
Hampered by Adverse Weather.
Although adverse weather ham,
pered both ground and air opera
tions yesterday, Allied patrols probed
German lines on both the 5th Army
and 9Th Army fronts and A-36s dive
bombed airields in the Rome area
and scored 16 hits on the docks at
Ladispoli, a little port north of the
Tiber.
West of Castelforte beyond the
Garigliano on the lower 5th Army
front, British patrol engaged a
small enemy force, inf1icting num-
Der of casualties.
Dive-bombing and strafng attacks
by A-36 Invaders on the Littorio
and Guidonia airdromes near Rome
in which hangar was exploded
high lighted air operations yester-
day. Total flights during the day
were reduced to about 400 by bad
flying weather.
simultaneously with new air at
tacks on enemy shipping off the
Yugoslav coast, the British destroy
ers Tyrian and Teaser shelled Ger
man batteries at Vela Luka, on the
island of Korcula. The enemy re-
piled, but caused no damage or cas-
ualtieS.
Spitfires Damage Transportation.
Spitfires destroyed IL motor vehi-
cles and damaged others in an at
tack on enemy transportation in
Central Italy.
Other Spitfires shot up 20 railroad
cars in Yugoslavia, near Sibenik
harbor, Kittyhawks scored near
misses on two vessels near Sibenik
harbor on the Yugoslav coast, and
coastal air force RAF Spitfires
bombed Corfu harbor installations.
The enemy flew approximately 20
sorties over the Anzio beachhead,
aiming at Allied ships and unload
ing areas. One Fock- -Wulfe 100 was
shot down there. Two Allied planes
were missing.
Yesterdays Allied communique
said 5th Army troops repulSed two
light German attacks on the Casino
front.
One German broadcast said the
Allies had LANDED additional forces
on the beachhead and had converted
it into "the character of fortress"
with fortified positions wedged in
for a depth of tx miles.
Gen. Keyes Commanding Corps.
Supplementing an announcement
of Saturday that the Germans had
suffered casualties totaling $4,000
on the beachhead, headquarters an
nounced yesterday that $4,000 pris-
oners had been taken since the Allies
first landed on the toe of Italy
The Saturday announcement said
2,816 had been taken on the beach
head
1t was announced officially that
Maj. Gen. Godfrey Keyes, native
of New Mexico and the deputy of
1t. Gen. George M. Patton, jr., in
Sicily, now is commanding officer
of an American Army corps in Italy.
At the same time three of the
American divisions in operation in
Italy were identified as the Sd,
the 34th and the 36th.
The Sd, composed originally of
mostly Pacific Coast troops, was
cited along with a battalion of
British grenadier guards for dis
tinguished action on the Anzio
beachhead, where it landed with
the first wave of forces. This hard
hitting outfit was in the thick of
fighting in Morocco, Sicily, at Sa-
lerno, along the Volturno, at Mi
gnano and Mount Rotondo.
1t was the 36th Division, made
up of men from Texas, that estab-
lished bridgehead across the Rap
lido River on January 20-21. The
34th, containing men from Iowa
and Minnesota, plunged into Cas-
sino February 2 and still is clinging
there like grim death.