Late War News DEEP HOLE IN DEFENCES

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 195, 16 May 1944, Page 6

Late War News DEEP HOLE IN DEFENCES

Italian Offensive FRENCH CAPTURE KEY TOWN (By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright.) (Received May 16, 1.40 a.m.) LONDON, May 15. The Exchange Telegraph Agency’s correspondent at the Allied headquarters iu Italy reports that the French breached the Gustav Line on a front about three miles wide and penetrated German territory to a depth of over five and a half miles. The capture by the French of kan Ambrogio, Valle Majo, and the key town of Ausonia has effectively breached the Gustav Line, says Reuter’s correspondent at the Allied headquarters. A British United Press correspondent states that enemy reinforcements can be expected shortly in the Liri Valley, and no rapid German withdrawal is anticipated. Ausonia is nearly six miles across the Garigliano and under five miles southeast of Jesperia, which is believed to be the right-flank basion of the Adolf Hitler Line. Monte Majo is almost directly east of Ausonia and San Ambrogio is further to the north-east, near the junction of the Liri and Garigliano nvCr “ The tlh-ee days of tremendous Allied assaults in Italy have produced considerable results,” say.s Reuter’s correspondent with the Eighth Army. “The enemy is pulling out of his remaining Gustav Line defences between Cassino and the sea, though fighting for every inch of ground. The Germans are using their local reserves to the maximum, and the Eighth Army has captured technical personnel fighting as infantry. “Kesselring is beginning to man the Adolf Hitler Line defences in the rear of the Gustav Line. These formidable defences run in an arc through five .towns on the edge of the Liri Valley—Pedimonte, Aquino, Ponte Corvo, San Olivia and Esperia. German engineers in the last few months have been constructing and improving gun emplacements and pillboxes on tactically perfect positions.