Evening star., 1944-07-31
Nazi Counierahacks
Hold of Sth Army
South Of Florence
BY the Associated Press.

6s luc AesoClAieu fIeSS.
[, ROME, July 31.-Counterat-
tacking at every opportunity
Nazi infantry and tanks held the
9th Army at bay in the hills S to
.7 miles southwest of Florence
to-day at cost hardly likely to
.prove worth while to the enemy's
.depleted armies, Allied head
quarters said. IA
. Artillery laid down laundering
curtains of fire on German units
(which lashed out in an effort to
knock the Allied spearheads farther
back from Florence's last defenses.
Along the 5th Army's 30-mile
front on the lower Arno River, big
guns on both sides continued to
trade fire across the stream. There
were no indications the Americans
had penetrated beyond the south
ern limits of Pisa.
Planes Attack Nazi Columns.
On the east coast the Polish
troops last were reported fighting
in the streets Of Senigallia. about
40 miles below Rimini and 80 air.
line miles from the mouth Of the
Po River.
Veteran pilots of the desert air
force joined the artillery in raining
explosives on the attacking Nazi
columns south of Florence. Ofiicial
reports said the enemy suffered
heavy losses.
The Germans obviously have sue
ceeded in temporarily warding of
the Anzac thrust, which two days
ago threatened to crack through the
mountain positions and drive into
the great Tuscan art center.
The exact position of the New
Zealand spearhead. which at the
week end had penetrated within S
miles of Florences outskirts from
the southwest before encountering
stiff counterattacks which forced
some withdrawals, was not specified
officially.
Nazis Fight Delaying Action.
An Allied spokesman said Ger
man Tiger tanks and motorized in
tantry made strong sally" Satur-
day night into San Michele, miles
southwest of Florence. but with
drew later to high ground north of
the town.
Expensive counterattacks appear
ed to be only "last-gasp' delaying
action on the part of Florence's de-
tenders. The hopelessness of their
position became apparent when an
Indian division cleared an area
south of Arno between the Pesa and
Elsa Rivers, except for a few small
pockets of the enemy.
Associate Press Correspondent
Lynn Heinzerling, with the 9th Army
south OF Florence, reported a grow
ing suspicion that the German COM
mand in Italy had ordered the last
ditch stand before the city in hope
OF appeaSing Hitler's wrath and
demonstrating loyalty to him.
Eighth Army units were we'll es-
tablished across the railway line
from Empoli eastward to the vicinity
of Montelupo. within ii miles of
Florence's western outskirts.
Nazi Paratroopers Captured.
A slight change was reported due
south of Florence where the enemy
was holding Umpruneta, 6 miles
from the city, in strength. Allied
forces eliminated German outpost
at San Lucia, 2ll2 miles south of
1mpruneta, capturing Nazi para
troopers.
Farther east the British forces,
working slowly along the north
banks of the upper Arno, estab-
lished themselves in Castelfranco, 10
miles northwest of Arezzo. One Nazi
position there hoisted the white
flag when British tanks opened fire.
Lipia, 7 miles north of Arezzo, was
found unoccupied, and in the nearby
hills the British ambushed a Nazi
patrol and killed 10 men.
The Poles, during the recent sue
cesstul attack on Ancona. captured
or destroyed l08 guns. ranging UP to
l50-mm. howitzers and even larger
coastal defense weapons, it was an
nounced officially. In addition, the
Poles killed more than 1000 Ger
mans and captured $500.
Mediterranean Allied Air Force
Warplanes continued to roam over
much of Southern Europe yester-
day. AS many as 500 heavy bomb
ers from the 18th Air Force at
tackled the Duna aircraft works and
the Tokol airdrome south of Buda-
pest; the Lipse-Budafapuszta oil
installations in Southern Hungary.
and the Brod railyards in Yugo-
slavia.
Medium bombers continued pound
Ing Pc Valley bridges. Six enemy
planes were shot down, against the
less of nine Allied aircraft.
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