Germans fought to Standstill on Beachhead

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 52, 4 March 1944, Page 5

Germans fought to Standstill on Beachhead

Greatest Air Assault Of Italian Campaign (By Telegraph—Press Assn.— Copyright.) Received Saturday, 1 a.m. LONDON, March 3. The latest German assault on the Anzio bridgehead has been brought to a standstill. After the failure of his attacks which started on Tuesday the enemy did not resume his offensive yesterday, and all our positions are held. This news is contained in the latest communique received from Allied Headquarters. The Allied Air Forces played a decisive part in the victory when they made their greatest assault of the Italian campaign. Over 1200 sorties were flown and 300 heavy bombers hammered the German attacking forces in all-day attacks, dropping over 30,000 splinter bombs among enemy troop concentrations and positions. It was the greatest air support the Allied troops had ever received, and the continuous thunder of the planes overhead drowned the roar of the artillery barrage. Not a single enemy aircraft came up to give battle to the Allied squadrons, and in the day’s operations only 24 of our planes were lost. Allied artillery played an important part in the defeat of this latest German attempt to wipe out the bridgehead and was responsible for the heaviest casualties among the enemy attackers.