ATTACK FROM RAPIDO

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 196, 17 May 1944, Page 7

ATTACK FROM RAPIDO

Leader’s Description (British Official Wireless. (Received May 16, 7 p.m.) RUGBY, May 15. With the exception of Cassino, which they have not attempted to attack, the Allied armies had smashed through the Gustav Line, said Lieutenant-General S. C. Kirkham, who commands a corps of the Eighth Army, in a statement to correspondents. lie said the Allies had been advancing about 100 yards a day. When the battle opened the attacking corps on his sector was overlooked from German positions on nearly all sides. Just back from the Rapido River the Germans were well dug in all along the Gustav Line. In the early stages the United Kingdom and Indian troops were particularly vulnerable in accomplishing the Rapido crossing. The river was eight feet deep, fast-flowing, and qiute unfordable, and bridges had to be built and approaches made and maintained. In face of all the difficulties and under heavy mortar and small-arms fire Indian sappers managed to get two bridges across on the first night. General Kirkham said that the preliminary barrage was not the biggest of the war. There was, indeed, the biggest number of guns yet seen on one sector, but they were well strung out. The situation was precarious in the northern part of the Rapido River on the first day, with no tank, no infantry, and no antitank weapons across the. river. The heaviest fighting on the first day was in the battle for San Angelo, which was a miniature Cassino. Artillery smashed the village in half an hour ef very accurate shelling, and the enemy was badly shaken. Then the Gurkhas went in to take the strongpoint.

ALLIED AIR ATTACKS

LONDON, May 15. Strong forces of heavy bombers yesterday attacked a number of railway yards in the Po Valley, including Padva, Ferrara, Vieenza, Treviso, Mestre, Mantua and Piove di Sacco, and also airfields at Piacenza and Reggio Emilia, says an Allied communique. Medium bombers and fighter-bombers continued the assault against railway communications between Florence and Rome, and attacked bridges and tracks at several points. Fighter-bombers also attacked gun positions and troop concentrations on the battle front, and communication targets on the Dalmatian coast. Fighters attacked aircraft on the ground at Aviano, Villacorba, and Rivolta. Medium bombers and heavy bombers last night attacked railway bridges at Latisana and Casarsa with good results, and also an oil refinery at Porto Magaro. Ten enemy planes were destroyed in the air during the day and six of ours are missing.

BERLIN FORECASTS BLOW FROM ANZIO

LONDON, May 15. Berlin-radio quoted a High Command statement claiming that Santa Maria Infante, a village on a track across the hills from the Minturno lateral highway, had been recaptured. The radio also said that German airreconnaissance over the .Anzio beach-head indicated that the Allies were, preparing for attack, and that General Alexander was about to relieve the weight of the major attack in the south.