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BIG GUNS
HIT
Anzio Raid
Successes
"The Age" Service and A.A.P. ;
LONDON, March 12.
Patrols were active on all three
Italian fronts during; the week
end. Clashes occurred : and pri
soners were taken. French ; artil
lery: fire drove - off . two strong
enemy patrols on the main Fifth
Army front.
The correspondent of American
Associated Press at Allied Head
Quarters In Italy reported that;
the beachhead on Saturday had
one of its quietest days for
months, with .only exchanges, of
light artillery fire and one clash
between the Americans and a
German patrol. ; Small-scale
fighting broke out on. three points
of the Eighth Amy - front. The'
weather has Improved on all
fronts.
In, a ..number of daring dive-
bombing attacks against. big Ger-
roari guhs'which" have' been shell
ing Anzio, Allied pilots, on . Satur
day succeeded 'In reducing'eriemy
fire,' to a very intermittent bar
rage.
The Germans for weeks have
been relying on their heavy guns
to,, harass port areas; and:- had
them protected by scores; of
mobile anti-aircraft weapons.
Pilots, who went; In at nearly! 400
miles an hour, reported knocking
out several; guns,- Including two
huge railway , guns near. Ciam-
pino aerodrome,, south-west of
Rome. Other guns hidden In a
quarry near ; Campolene were
attacked seven times bv Wav-
hawks, which also, went .through
intense flak to strike long-range I
guns which had been, potinding
the beachhead from the north.
Port Targets
. ; In periods of . relative' quiet,
such as now prevailing on the
beachhead, these guns represent
the main German effort. Their
.aim is to pound the port and
ships in it so continuously — and
they can see what they are firing
at — that supply and, unloading
will be hampered.
: Now that their attempts to re
duce the size of the beachhead
have ended there Is a natural
expectation; that the British and
Americans will try to increase it
in order to. make shelling more
difficult. Bht todo this a regular
flow of supplies, which the navy
has begn magnificently delivering
on fine days, has to come In.
Glider bombs, submarines and'
shelling have not prevented them.
But, as the Germans have been
claiming, they are able sometimes
to .. register hits from their big
guns on landing craft and dock
areas.
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