Current Events February 25, 1944;

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1944:

NAPLES, Feb. 25—(AP)

German forces ringing the Anzio beachhead, now swollen to 10 divisions, pecked at British and American lines yesterday in two fruitless attacks southwest of Carroceto as the 5^th Army steadily improved its positions, it was announced today. The enemy likewise in, light force assaulted French positions on Mount Abate 1 ½  miles east of Terelle on the Cassino front,

 LONDON, Feb. 25—(A.P.)

The R.A.F., with "many squadrons" from the R.C.A.F. bomber group, took up the two-way scourge of the German aircraft industry last night, flying 1,000 bombers from Britain to Schweinfurt

 SOVIETS CRASHING ONWARD TOWARD PSKOV

    LONDON, Feb. 25.—(CP.)—

Russian forces crashing on toward Pskov on the Baltic front have captured more than 4ft villages west and south of fallen Dno, the Moscow radio announced Friday night.(see News Bulletin below)

Allies Hold

Foe's Drives

Artillery Fire Relieves Pressure—

5th Army Improves

Positions

By RICHARD G. MASSOCK

Associated Press War Correspondent

NAPLES, Feb. 25—(AP)

German forces ringing the Anzio beachhead, now swollen to 10 divisions, pecked at British and American lines yesterday in two fruitless attacks southwest of Carroceto as the 5^th Army steadily improved its positions, it was announced today. The enemy likewise in, light force assaulted French positions on Mount Abate 1 ½  miles east of Terelle on the Cassino front,

but artillery fire broke up the thrust, and on the lower Garigliano sector German probing 'attempts were blocked.

Despite a seven-inch snowfall in the mountains around Cassino, Allied troops improved their positions on Mount Castellone in the mountains west of the village of Cairo, midway between Cassino and Terelle.

NEW DIVISION

The new German division added to the nine which have been containing the Anzio beachhead for some days was said to have been brought from northern Italy. It was identified as the 362nd infantry. The two beachhead attacks were launched by only a company of infantry in each case—usually about 200 men. They were repulsed with heavy losses to the enemy, it was announced.

Allied artillery got the range of a German tank concentration near the so-called factory in the Carroceto area and forced it to disperse.

ALLIES HOLD

1,000Bombers Raid Schweinfurt;

Great Fleets Off Again Today

R.A.F. Raiders Guided by Fires Set by American, in

Daylight Smash—156 Nazi Plane. Shot Down

—100 British and American Bombers

.        Lost in Four Heavy Attacks

(By Austin Bealmear, Associated Press Staff Writer)

LONDON, Feb. 25—(A.P.)
The R.A.F., with "many squadrons" from the R.C.A.F. bomber group, took up the two-way scourge of the German aircraft industry last night, flying 1,000 bombers from Britain to Schweinfurt.

Other R.A.F. formations flew from Italy to Steyr after the U.S. air force hit the same targets in simultaneous daylight blows from the western and southern bases yesterday.

SEVEN CANADIAN PLANES LOST

An R.C.A.P. communique announced the loss of seven Canadian bombers, part of the total night's losses of 35 planes announced by the air ministry.

Today great fleets of daylight bombers crossed the channel to carry the battle into its sixth consecutive day.

The R.A.F.'s night-riding bombers were guided to both targets by the flaming wreckage left a few hours before by the American daylight raiders. The British and

Canadian bombs added still further damage to Schweinfurt's sprawling- ball bearing plants and the R.A.F. hit the German aircraft factory at Steyr, in Austria.

TERRIFIC AIR BATTLES RAGE

U.S. headquarters announced that the powerful American air fleet which flew from the west and south yesterday shot down 156 Nazi planes. Eighth air force bombers from Britain downed 83 Nazi planes during their attacks on Schweinfurt and fighter plane factories at Gotha while their accompanying fighters accounted for 37 others in terrific air battles. Bombers of the loth air force from Italy attacking Steyr bagged 36 Nazi fighters

 

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NEWS BULLETINS

SOVIETS CRASHING ONWARD TOWARD PSKOV

    LONDON, Feb. 25.—(CP.)—

Russian forces crashing on toward Pskov on the Baltic front have captured more than 4ft villages west and south of fallen Dno, Uie Moscow radio announced Friday night. Moscow said the Soviet offensive was continued north of the fallen White Russian base of Rogachev and that "several populated places had been captured. In the Kohlm area, also on the Baltic front south of Dno. the Russians said their forces had f«nght their way forward and had captured additional villages.

AMERICANS SMASH AT REGENSBURG AND STUTTGART

    LONDON. Feb. 25.—(CP.)—

Great formations of American heavy bombers carried the unprecedented Allied aerial offensive thundering through its sixth day today with smashes deep within Germany at aircraft production plants at Regemborg, Stuttgart, and other targets.

GEORGE KENNEDY DISMISSED ON DRUG CHARGE

    George C. Kennedy of Vancouver, accused of illegally being in possession of narcotic drugs, was dismissed by Magistrate Arthur Beaumont, K.C., in city police ward Friday, on the grounds of insufficient evidence.

AXIS SHIP SET AFIRE OFF NORWAY

    LONDON, Feb. 25.—(C.P.)—An enemy merchant vessel of medium size was set afire by a hit fww a torpedo-carrying_Beaufifhter »ff

Norway Friday, the air ministry news service announced.

SENATOR CHARLES L. McNARY Of OREGON DIES

    WASHINGTON, Feb. 25.—(A.P.)—Senator Charles L. McNary  the Oregon, the Republican leader, died In Florida, Friday, according to word received at his office here. McNary, the Republican presidential candidate 1940 had been ill for several months after a brain operation. Only yesterday he was re-elected. Chairman of the  Senate Republican conference, a post he had held for several years.

GERMANS CALL UP 17-YEAR-OLD GIRLS FOR LABOR

    NEW YORK, Feb. 25---(A.P.)-The Nazi Minister of interior, Heinrich Himmler, has ordered the registration of a new class of 17 year-old girls

for labor service.

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Kavieng Base

Bombarded

ALLIED HEADQUARTERS,

Southwest Pacific, Feb. 25.—(AP)

—Allied destroyers. have shelled the airdrome and docks at Kavieng, New Ireland, the enemy base which was previously hit by surface warships Feb. 18.

The Duke of York Island nearby also was hit. Destroyers also sank a Japanese warship and two cargo vessels caught fleeing from the Bismarck Islands, an Allied communique said. It added that all of the enemy's air bases in the Bismarck Islands, including the one at Rabaul, New Britain, have been temporarily neutralized  and the sealanes are dominated

by Allied craft, sea and air.

TKOOPS LOST

One merchantman sunk was loaded with troops. There were 75 survivors of the 400 Japanese soldiers

aboard the vessel.

Allied bombers hit the Rabaul base with 164 tons of explosives, hitting eight ships in the harbor and further damaging the airdromes.

As in  the last two previous raids, there was no enemy aerial interception.

Blast Small

Jap Islands

PEARL HARBOR, Feb. 25.—

(AP)—United States navy carrier planes made their sixth raid of the war on Japanese-held Marshall Islands, bombarding: and firing hangars, destroying a radio station and damaging ammunition storage areas, other ground installations and barracks.

The raids wore made Sunday but, because of radio silence Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, central Pacific commander, announced it only Thursday in a press release.

The phraseology—"carrier-based planes"—in contrast with previous wordings such as "strong carrier task forces" and the fact the announcement came in a press release rather than in a communique indicate the strike was not made in nearly as strong a force as the recent Kwajalein, Eniwetok, Truk and Marianas bombardments.