Evening star., 1944-01-14
Americans Check
Attacks, Goin
Near rCussino

IAA1OuSiI 4tdly rugged Apen.
mines for a 2-mile gain from the
east and Americans advanced
slightly from the south yesterday
in an encircling assault on tht
natural and artificial defenses ot
Casino, which the Germans cal
their Gustav Line" Allied head.
quarters announced today.
The Americans repulsed a heav,
German counterattack on Cervart
about midnight Wednesday,, ther
consolidated their gains and threat.
ened the Nazi control of the northern
slopes Of Mount Trocchio, just south
of the Rome road and less than
miles from Casino.
Nazis Resist Fiercely.
But German resistance was ex-
tremely fierce in this final defensive
belt around the next Allied objective
and the maze of weapon pits, road
blocks, minefields, barbed-wire en-
tanglements and trenches, augment
ing the natural defensive feature.
Of a north-south line through the
village itself guaranteed a desperate
struggle before the point is taken.
High ground around the village
plus the banks of the Rapid River
on which the village is built, hac
been converted into what German
prisoners called the Gustav Line"
Referring to the tough fighting
which took place for Cervaro anc
the mountain features beyond, ar
Allied commentator said the forth.
coming battle Of Casino would be
harder yet.
5000 Prisoners Taken.
A recapitulation by Allied head
quarters said more than 5000 Ger
man prisoners had been taken or
both the 5th and 9th Army fronts
since the original landings in Italy
on September 3.
Attacking over wide portion oi
the rugged Central Italian terrain
Gen. Juin's forces captured the east.
ern slopes of Mount San Pietro ir
San Pietro ridge and completed the
seizure of all Monna Casale range
south of the Colli-Atina road.
The French now hold all the high
ground north, northeast and south.
west of the village of Aquafondala
7 miles northeast of Casino, ane
also had outflanked the village O
Viticuso to the southeast. The Ger.
mans still were in Viticuso, however
Mount Casale, whose highes
point is 1000 feet, overlooks Aqua
fondala. To the southwest of thi
rugged. rRdless feature, the Ger
mans also captured 4,0O0- foot Noun
Aquafondala, between the villag,
and Mount Raimo, which tn,
French seized the day before.
(The German communique
said a "heavy battle is in full
swing" in this sector, and that
the fight was growing in vio-
lence.)
ooAkAOhA AhhPioNCus
On the 9th Army's front near tn,
Adriatic British and New Zealand
ers improved their positions neal
Orsogna by advancing 500 yards
but most activity was confined tt
sharp artillery exchanges and pa.
troll activity.
One Allied patrol penetrated deel
into German lines to a position cas-
Of Pennapiedimonte, 20 miles inlant
and miles southwest of Orsogna
where it engaged in a lively clasl
with the Germans.
Valuable information was said t
have been obtained.
(The Vichy radio said "a move
on the part of the 9th Army can
shortly be expected.")
The air command told of raids O
airfields near Rome yesterday, an
said heavy bombers and their pro
tective fighters also shot up
Perugia, in Central Italy. 80 mile
due north of Rome, and delivered
sharp blow at enemy installations.
Many Airfields Attacked.
Medium bombers attacked air
fields in many places, dropping
showers of high explosive and frag
mentation bombs among hangar.
dispersal areas and runways in
favored Allied bombing patterl
which has been known to wipe ou
whole blocks of enemy air strength
Other Allied formations jabbe
at railway yards at Isola, Is mile
northwest of Casino; at Colleferrt
at dock installations at Formis
on the coast just above the western
end of the 5th Army line and a
enemy shipping off the Yugosla
coast near Sibenik.
Ten enemy aircraft were destroye,
during yesterdays operation agains
an Allied loss of five.