Ankle-deep Mud Hampers Operations

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 62, 16 March 1944, Page 5

Ankle-deep Mud Hampers Operations

(By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright.) Received Thursday, 12.30 atm. LONDON, March 15. The latest Allied communique from Italy reports: “Our front lines in the beachhead have been improved. We cleaned out a pocket of enemy resistance. Patrols have been active on the main Fifth Army and Eighth Army fronts. ’ ’ Mud ankle-deep in the gullies on the Eighth Army front and the extremely solt ground on both the Fifth Army front and the Anzio beachhead keep the movements of both armies greatly restricted, states a correspondent at Allied Headquarters. Patrols can only operate with the greatest difficulty. It is estimated that it will take a week of tine dry weather and blazing sunshine to harden the ground. Patrol skirmishes and routine artillery duels were the only activity yesterday on the main Fifth Army front. An enemy working party was shot up near Cassino and prisoners were taken by one patrol, which wiped out a machinegun nest. The weather in the beachhead was clear yesterday after a fall of snow the previous night. The Rome radio has announced that four-engined bombers attacked Rome on Tuesday morning. Littorio and two other districts were bombed. MUSSOLINI’S MOUTHPIECE KILLED The enemy radio, according to another report, states that, in an air raid on Rome, Virgilio Gayda, former editor of the Giornale d’ltalia and Mussolini’s mouthpiece, was killed. Various reports were received about Gayda after Mussolini’s downfall. One said that he was burnt to death, another that he had committed suicide, and another that he was suing his former employers for losing his job. Gayda was working at his desk when the bombs hit the house and he was found dead under the wreckage. The Exchange Telegraph Company’s correspondent at Allied Headquarters in Italy says three waves of American Marauders escored by Spitfires on Tuesday attacked the Prenestiana railway yards in the eastern part of Rome and the junction point of the RomeFlorence and main Rome-East Coast lines. Pilots reported numerous hits on the track, rolling stock and warehouses, blocking both ends of the yards. The whole of Virgilio Gayda’s family perished with him in Tuesday’s raid on Rome, says the Swdss radio, quoting information from Rome. PRECEDENT OF UNUSUAL INTEREST “The agreement between the Italian and Soviet Governments for the exchange of diplomatic representatives obviously creates a precedent of unusual interest and importance,’’ says the Times’ Naples correspondent. “The fact that two countries after being at war establish friendly relations before they have made peace is something new in international procedure. This initia. five may find imitators. The Yugoslav and Greek Governments appear most likely to take the same line.’’ The Times, in a leader describing the action of the Russian Government in according recognition to the Badoglio Government as surprising, says: “The establishment of full diplomatic relations with an enemy Government after an armistice and before the acceptance of peace terms is at least anomalous. The Russian Government appears to have taken and announced its decision without consulting the British or American Governments, also without discussion in the Mediterranean Commission. This procedure is open to serious drawbacks. It revealed, and indeed proclaimed, to the whole world a lack of that full coordination of policy which is desirable among the Allies. There have been both on the British and Russia sides regrettable lapses into unilateral action when consultation and cooperation would have been the better way. It is a task for wise statesmanship and soth countries should see such happenings do not occur. ’ ’ Mr. Cordell Hull at Washington said jhe had some information on Russia’s recognition of the Badoglio Government which he did not wish to reveal at pre sent. He added: “The United States has not yet come to the question of ex changing ambassadors with the Badoglio Government.” The Associated Press says diplomatic officials appeared to be puzzled over Russia’s action inasmuch as Britain and the United States have played the dominant roles in fashioning Italian policy.