Hard Fighting in Anil Around Town

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 66, 21 March 1944, Page 5

Hard Fighting in Anil Around Town

(By Telegraph--!'* Assn.—Copyright.) Received Tuesday, 12.15 a.m. LONDON, March 20. The enemy succeeded in reinforcing his strongpoints in Cassino and regained one lower hill feature, reports the latest Allied communique from Italy. Fierce fighting continues in the town and on the hillside helow the monastery.

Sharp local fighting occurred elsewhere on the main Fifth Army front and the Anzio beachhead, but there were no important changes on the front line. Eighth Army troops engaged in active patrolling, clashing with the enemy at several points, inflicting casualties and taking prisoners. Medium bombers attacked the docks at Porto San Stefano and Porto Ferrapo and rail facilities at Arezzo, Orvieto, Evazzano, Volmontone and Fabriano. Fighter-bombers supported the ground forces. Medium ancl heavy bombers last night attacked the docks at Monte Falcome. Thirty-two enemy planes were destroyed during the day and 17 of ours are missing. The Allies flew approximately 1800 sorties and the enemy flew more than 100 sorties over the battle area. British warships on Saturday carried out a series of successful bombardments of the Anzio area. French light naval forces* patrolling the Central Mediterranean sank three vessels in a small enemy convoy and probably sank another. The seesaw fighting for Monastery Hill continues, says the British United Press correspondent. One position changed hands four times in two days. The Indian troops are grimly holding “Hangman’s Hill’ about one hundred yards below the abbey but they are separated from it by a ravine. Isolated groups of Indians are being supplied with food and ammunition by air. Allied gunners inside Cassino are searching out and battering the German strongpoints beyond the town ana softening up the road ahead for a renewal of the Fifth Army’s advance. The German News Agency’s commentator Praegner claims that the Germans have recaptured Castle Hill. The British United Press correspondent, reporting the destruction of several German tanks 1000 yards north ol Carrocetto, says this may indicate a new advance from tho Allied beachhead line which was previously reported two miles south of Carrocetto. The Cairo radio says Allied planes launched the fiercest attacks against the German lines around the beachhead since the Anzio landing. In Italy Allied tanks to-night rolling over a secretly built mountain road outflanked the German positions at Cassino. The British United Press correspondent says that tank forces, after seizing Mount Aibaneta, are approaching the road to Rome. The New Zealanders knocked out the tanks secreted in the hotel, but the Germans still hold the southwestern portion of Cassino. Large numbers of Germans surrendered in Cassino late to-day. An Italian communique confirms the raids on the airfields in the Udine area and adds: Medium bombers yesterday attacked the railway yards at Orvieto and Folign, also the docks at Piombino and Leghorn. Fighter-bombers attacked bridges, gun positions and motor transport in the battle area, also shipping off the Dalmatian coast.