Evening star., 1944-02-13
Allies Tighten Beachhead Grip;
Victorious Advance Into Rome
Forecast by Clark and Churchill
Hold Is Firmer
Than at Any Time
In Last 72Hours
By the Associated Press.


ALLIED HEADQUARTERS, AL
giers, Feb. 12.-Troops of the
Allied 5th Army frightened their
grip on the Anzio beachhead to-
night as their commander, 1t.
Gen. Mark w. Clark, assured
them that supplies were arriving
for them and that their vic
torieuS march on Rome was
"sure to come"
Their hold on the shell -pitted
and muddy battle-ground was firmer
than at any time in the last u
hours after a German attack was
repulsed with the aid of warships
which ranged boldly inshore and
shelled the Nazi positions.
Landing of supplies for the
beachhead was carried out success
fully despite heavy swells, and a
slight break in the weather gave
promise that overwhelming Allied
air superiority soon might return
to the aid of the hard fighting
ground forces.
CA British broadcast, recorded
by CHS, quoted a British war
correspondent as saying the Ger
man radio was boasting that the
beachhead force soon would have
to take to boats. Such German
statements never have been
within miles of the TRUTH" the
correspondent said, adding that
the troops were facing their job
with sober confidence.
Americans Score Casino Gains.
Along the Casino front to the
east the battle also tipped slightly
in the Allies favor as the Ameri-
cans scored bloody If limited gains
in that key sector.
In the beachhead area it was ap-
parent that mud which begged down
the Nazi armor and the determined
resistance of the Allied troops had
forced the Germans to pause and
regroup. An Allied spokesman de-
clared that the beachhead front
lines have remained relatively un-
changed during the last few days"
Dispatches from the bridgehead
said the now-shattered village of
Carroceto (Aprilia) had changed
hands several times. Part of this
community is referred to as The
Factory"-a name which traces to
the fact that it formerly served as
a food processing, storage and dis
trioution center for the surround
Ing, farming region.
(The Berlin radio last night
claimed that Allied reverses at
the village had brought about a
movement of troops inside the
oeachhead in the last "a hours
with Americans appearing for
the first time in the Carroceto
sector.)
"a German communique yes
terday declared a sharp Allied
attack against the German lines
ct Carroceto had been beaten
back
Attack Beaten Back.
The Allied communique said a
German attack on the beachhead
was beaten back yesterday and the
fact that only one attack was made
during the day indicated the terrific
effect OF Allied air attacks of Thurs
Gay, when four-engined bpmbers
diverted from long range targets to
team up with medium and fighter
bombers in pulverizing the gather
Ing Panzer divisions and Wrecking
communications.
Allied. headquarters announced
that during the stiff fighting on both
fronts during the last seven davs
more than 5000 crack German
troops hao been taken prisoners
lhls brought the Allied bag to more
tnan $4,000 virtually one division
since the invasion of Italy began last
september. This does not include
the heavy losses the enemy has
suffered in killed and wounded.
There still was nothing to indicate
that the fighting in Italy would not
oe among the costliest and most
sangulnary of the war. The Ger
mans were carrying out to the let
ter Hitler's orders to make desper
ate stand, whatever the cost In
some instances they were more than
matching Allied manpower.
The Americans, fighting in Casino
finally gave them possession of one
entire section of the shattered
town. They also knocked out the
(See ITALY, Page A-5)