18/5/1944. 1.= pm. Wardell
The battle on the Gustav line is drawing to an
end after 6 days of heavy fighting.
The number of prisoners exceeds 4500 and
is still growing. Troops of both armies have
reached the outposts of the Adolf Hitler line
and closing in on Casino and
Monastery Hill.
The battle for the Gustav line is drawing
to a close and the one for the Hitler line
is about to commence. In the Lire
Valley the 5th and 8th Armies continue to
advance and are in contact with the
outposts of the Hitler line. The Germans
said this morning that their troops had
evacuated Casino but there is no
confirmation of this. Our troops have swept onto
the S.W. of Casino and also on the famous
highway 6 which leads out of Cassino to
Rome. The fighting described by one of our
correspondents peculiarly savage
fighting. French troops have taken Esperia.
On the left flank of the 5th Army the Americans
are reported to make considerable advances
and are said to outflank the port of
Formia. Our heavy bombers in medium
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