The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-03-27
'Nozi Hold
On Hills
CONTINUED from Page u

The Stars and Stripes paid tribute
to the determined stand made BY
the Germans even after the town
had been beaten fiat by the furious
Allied bombing and Smelling.
THE hardy, fanatical NaN para
troopers who garrisoned Casino
came up full lof fight when the New
Zealanders brust into the town."
1t said. with the tremendous adj
vantage Of Monastery Hills batter
les on their side, these crack Ger
man soldiers were able to halt the
Allies at the eleventh hour, when
victory was almost within our grasp.
Tire Germans chung to line Of
very strong defenses In big wrecked
buildings on the southwest edge Of
the town and made them impreg-
nable."
Meanwhile, Officially reports said
ground fighting In the streets Of the
devastated town had slackened and
the battle had shifted to q crashing
exchange Of artillery fire.
Allied observers said the charac-
ter OF the fighting had changed
from offensive to defensive tactics"
"a strong indication that the Al
lies were battling now to retain
their positions inside the town.
Wearied Troops
After - days Of the bitter hand
to-hand fighting, wearied New Zea-
land infantrymen and NaZi para
troopers appeared to have drawn
back from their advanced positions
IN the rubble- Uttered streets while
the opposing artillery hammered
across the Rapido valley.
The massed cannon Of the Fifth
Army, including the giant Ameri-
can 240-millimeter field guns, CEN
tered their fire on the wrecked
Continental hotel and the Hoel DeS
Roses, where the Nazis were be-
lieved to have einplaced tanks and
q number Of multi-harrelled trench
mortarS.
German gunners hidden along the
lower slopes OF Mount Casino
countered with raking fire on the
Indian Guhkhas isolated on Hang
mans Hill, halfway up the side Of
the mountain, and the New zea-
landers' positions inside Casino.
The Allied communique gave no
details on the situation inside Cas-
Sino and 1t was indicated that there
had been no major change In the
battle lines over the weekend, with
the reinforced Germans apparently
still firmly In possession Of O row
OF shattered houses along the west
ern and southern edgfie OF the town.
Heavy Shellfre
Above and below the embattled
stronghold both sides traded heavy
shellfire all day yesterday. Allied
artillery Lad down Q heavy bar.
six-barrelled mortars near Pig.
rage on a concentration OF German
nataro, about four miles southwest
OF Casino. One salvo was believed
to have burst squarely on q Nazi
ammunition dump, touching OF O
terrific explosion.
In the Portfolio area, three miles
northeast Of Casino, German ar.
tillery pounded Internationally at
French positions, while several Nazi
planes attacked Allied lines near
san Ala, In the same general area
The lower Garigliano valley south
OF Casino also echoed to heavy
cannonading as the Germans opened
o barrage with mortars and artil-
lery on Allied forward positions.
Two Thrusts
Nazl combat patrols attempted
Two thrilsts at the Allied lines along
the Anzio beachhead fronmt yes
terday, one group striking two miles
southeast Of Aprilia and O second
just north OF that town. Both were
repulsed with losses TO the enemy.
Heavy Smelling also was reported
on the northern flank Of the beach,
head.
Scattered patrol clashes continued
on the British 9Th Armys Adriatic
coastal front, but headquarters
spJokesmen said the german were
less active In that sector than ct
any time In the past week or more.
Scattered rains asd Tnow fell
along the 6th Army front, and In
some mountainous sectors snow
drifts completely blocked the high
ways and pinned the opposing
troops to their trenches.
American heavy bombers went
back into action against NaN COM
munications lines In Northern italy,
spearheaded by O formation OF Fly
Ing Fortresses that blasted shipping
and port facilities OF F1uYne.
The 18th air forces LiberatorA
also struck at O German airdrome
at Manage, 30 miles northeast OF
Venice, and the Rimini railway
yards on the east coast line.
Fighters CHALLENGE