Evening star., 1944-01-20
Minturno Falls
ToA||ies in Italy,
Germans Report
British Forces Extend
Bridgeheods, Seize
Three Villages
MAP on Page Az

BY the Associated Press
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS
AlgierS, Jan. 20.-British troop!
Iof the Allied 5th Army have
enlarged their bridgeheads above
the Garigliano River to 2 mile.
in depth at places, capturing
three villages, and at last re.
ports today were storming the
outskirts of Minturno, rs airline
miles from Rome.
Headquarters announced the ad.
vancing forces had enveloped the
villages of Argento, Tufo and Suio
the capture of Tufo carrying the
thrust across the Appian Way
ancient road to Rome-and within
a mile and a half of Minturno it.
self.
The German radio today an
nOunCed the evacuation of
Minturno after it was complete
ly destroyed
con the south Italian front
the enemy yesterday again
launched heavy attacks against
the German western wing. After
violent fighting the Germans
abandoned Minturno," DNB
broadcast announced)
Fierce Opposition.
German opposition was reported
severe all along the front of at
least 7 miles where the British be-
gan their drive with a night attack
Monday.
In the area north of Casino. now
Yank patrols again crossed the
Rapido River to probe out Ger
man defenses there. Still farther
inland French troops of the 5th
Army made contact with the enemy
but no details were announced.
tSecretary of War Stimson told
his press conference today that
substantial progress" is being
made in the Allied drive on
Casino. He said that since the
landings at Salerno, total Amer
ican casualties in Italy have been
1885 killed, l2,504 wounded and
3.7sl missing
The British crossing of the
Garigliano, the first action on thi:
sector in two months. was achieved
under cover of a smoke screen anc
was supported by an amphibious
operation in which some troops wert
moved by sea to a point on the
Tyrrhenian coast just above the
rivers mouth.
THE Berlin correspondent of
the Swedish newspaper Alton
bladet said today that American
forces were being landed at a
number of points along the Gulf
of Gaeta, behind the German
line on the west coast
(There has been no official
confirmation and as a similar
unconfirmed report emanated
from enemy sources Tuesday the
Aftonbladet correspondent dis
patch may have been a delayed
version of that reportl
Some troops moved across the
stream on RATS and small boats
while others swan the river. The
river averages 70 yards in width in
its lower reaches and is too deer
for wading
More Forces Cross River.
rHha priticI o,oo,,p+orod x,;no
fields. fire from machine guns placed
in caves and on heights rising from
the stream ana a sheet of artillery
fire from guns farther back, but
they fought uphill to deepen theil
bridgeheads. Additional British
forces were moving across the rivel
as the bridgeheads were widened.
Some of the fighting now raging
on the farther bank was 500 feet
above sea level on the slopes of the
Arunci Mountains which rise to
5000 feet in some places. Extensive
Notifications around Castel Porto
about 2 miles north of the river
bank and some miles inland ap.
parently had been chosen as the key
German defense area.
Prisoners taken indicated the
German defense was largely in the
hands of the Gath Infantry Division
which made two counterattacks neal
the coast.
Banks Are Steep.
The Rapido River where American
patrols crossed is only IS or 20 fee
wide and can be forded by troops
but its banks are steep and bridg.
ing is necessary to get tanks, gun:
and vehicles across. The stream
widens to about 60 feet where il
joins the Garigliano, 4 miles south
of Casino
The floods of month ago had re-
.ceded along both the Garigliano anc
Rapido, and the weather was cole
and clear along the whole front ex.
'cept near the Adriatic, where the
9th Army carried out patrols under
cloudy skies.