Battered Germans Not Anxious tor More

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 53, 6 March 1944, Page 5

Battered Germans Not Anxious tor More

Comparative Quiet On Anzio Beachhead (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) Received Sunday, 9.10 p.m. LONDON, March 4. The German News Agency admits that the Allies have entered the advanced German bases west of the I Carrocetto-Anzio road. General Clark sent a message to the beachhead commander: “Congratulations on the magnificent way in which your forces in the last few days repelled the strong enemy attacks. Your troops, fighting with great tenacity and skill, made the enemy pay dearly for his temporary offensive role. Any waning hope of victory the German soldier may still imprudently cherish has been further diminished by our latest success.” Tbe Exchange Telegraph Company’s Algiers correspondent revealed that the Germans threw in five divisions during the most recent beachhead drive. The Allies have taken 3500 prisoners since tho landing at Anzio. The Germans at the Anzio beachhead are not operating with any great sting since the big attack was smashed in the 36 hours’ battle on Tuesday and Wednesday, reports a correspondent. The enemy took a terrific hammering from concentrated artillery fire, swift and determined stabs by the Third American Infantry Division and relentless bombing by Fortresses and Liberators. The battle field is strewn with German dead. The enemy has made only three small attacks since then. The first was at dusk on Thursday when a company supported by eight tanks came down the road from Cisterna towards the American positions but did not reach our lines. Two strong fighting patrols attacked the British positions south and southwest of Carjocetto, but they, too, were driven off. At least five German divisions were used in the third attempt to sweep the Allies off the beachhead. It is getting warmer now with the rivers flooding as the snow melts. Canadians, Indians and Poles continue their clashes with enemy patrols on the Eighth Army front. An Italy communique says: “The situation is relatively quiet on all fronts. The weather continues to restrict operations. The Allied beachhead forces disposed of several localised enemy attacks. The Eighth Army repulsed a small attack in the mountainous sector. Patrolling and exchanges of fire marked the activity on the main Fifth Army front.” An air communique says: “Escorted heavy and medium bombers on Friday attacked railway yards and airfields in Northern Italy. Railways were hit at Rome, Littorio, Ostienssa and Tiburtine and the airfields attacked were Viterbo, Canino and Fabrica di Roma. The tunnel at Monte Nerno and the station at San Benedetto were also bombed. Fighters and fighter-bombers attacked road traffic in the Rome area and shipping off the Dalmatian coast. Bombers on Friday night attacked Zara and on Thursday night communications on the west coast of Italy. Eleven enemy aircraft were destroyed and ten of ours are missing. It is revealed that four additional enemy aircraft were destroyed on February 25. The Allied air forces flew approximately 1400 sorties. There was no enemy activity over the battle area.” NO INCLINATION TO RESUME OFFENSIVE The enemy shows no inclination to resume the offensive which so lamentably failed, writes an Anzio corre sponclent. At the extreme northern perimeter on Friday away from the main effort of the last attack he assayed strong patrol activity, using three or four tanks. One tank was knocked out and a number of patrols infiltrating among the wadis west of the Anzio-Albano road were taken prisoner. The enemy made an air attack early on Friday when our forward troops had the satisfaction of seeing many bombs dropping on the enemy's own positions. The raid was followed hy a burst of long-range shelling, but after this effort the guns remained silent until dusk when shelling from the rear areas was resumed. Observers on the Anzio beachhead suggest that the Allies after six weeks are now reaching the end of the second round, which General Alexander described as the defeat of the attempts to throw the invaders back into the sea. The next round is when the Allies gather strength to strike forward. A correspondent writes: “It must be exercising the German commander whether the beachhead is so firmly established that his high hopes of throwing us into the sea have not altogether vanished. Whether we have seen the last effort against the beach head remains to be seen. “What we have seen in the past three days supports the view that the foe no longer has the stomach for an attack which daily stands less chance of success. The fact that the last offensive was so easily halted seems to indicate that the enemy no longer has as much strength as when he made his two previous rushes. Three German divisions were involved in this last battle, but when it became obvious that the attack could not succeed against such weight of artillery only elements had been committed and not whole divisions. “For the most part the ground troops sat back on Thursday and watched the bludgeon of the Allied Air Force pound the enemy positions and supply lines. It must never be claimed that the bombers, however great their strength, halted this offensive by the main German Fourteenth Army. It had been stayed by the ground forces alone the day before.” A communique from advanced head quarters in Italy says: “Allied beachhead forces have repulsed an enemy attack in the Cisterna area. Allied beachhead patrols were engaged in successful actions against the enemy. Our forward troops at one point encircled and destroyed an advanced German unit. Patrolling continued on the main Fifth Army and Eighth Army fronts. Unloading supplies in tho Anzio area continues in spite of a heavy swell, enemy air attacks and the shelling of the port and anchorage. “A British cruiser in the same area on Friday carried out nine shoots against enemy gun positions and troop concentrations and the results were most effective. The weather limited air operations on Saturday, but San Stefano, also shipping off the west coast of Italy and Cintanova were attacked. Fighters and fighter bombers were active over the battle areas. One enemy plane was destroyed and two of ours are missing. The Allies flew 300 sorties while about 10 enemy planes were over the battle areas. Thirty thousands tons of enemy ship-