§ LORD ADDISONMy Lords, may I ask the Leader of the House whether he has any statement to make on the war situation?
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR DOMINION AFFAIRS (VISCOUNT CRANBORNE)(Lord Cecil)My Lords, the House will certainly wish to have some account of the stirring events of the last few days. As your Lordships are aware, the Prime Minister has already spoken in another place and the House, I know, will understand if I confine myself closely to his statement. It is as follows:
"The House should, I think, take formal cognizance of the liberation of Rome by the Allied Armies under the command of General Alexander, with General Clark, of the United States Service, General Leese in command of the Fifth and Eighth Armies respectively. This is a memorable and 2 glorious event, which rewards the intense fighting of the last five months. The original landing, made on the 22nd January at Anzio, has in the end borne good fruit. In the first place, Hitler was induced to send to the south of Rome eight or nine divisions which he may well have need of elsewhere. Secondly, these divisions were repulsed and their teeth broken by the successful resistance of the Anzio bridge-head force in the important battle which took place in the middle of February. The losses on both sides were heavy, the Allies losing about 20,000 and the Germans about 25,000 men. Thereafter the Anzio bridge-head was considered by the enemy to be impregnable.
"Meanwhile, the great regrouping of the main Army had to take place before the attacks could be renewed. They were at first unsuccessful, and Cassino still blocked the advance. On the 11th May, General Alexander began his present operation and, after unceasing and intense fighting by the whole Armies, broke into the enemy's line and entered the Liri valley. It is noteworthy that, counting from the right to the left, the whole of the Polish, British Empire, French and United States Forces broke the German lines in front of them by frontal attack. At what was judged the right moment, the bridge-head force, which had by this time reached a total of nearly 150,000 men, fell upon the retreating enemy's flank and threatened his retreat. The junction of the main Army with the bridge-head force drove 3 the enemy off his principal lines of retreat to the north, forcing a great part of his Army to retire in considerable disorder and with heavy losses, especially in material, through mountainous country. The Allied Forces with great rapidity were grouped with special emphasis upon their left flank, which soon deployed against Rome. After cutting the important highways the American and other Forces of the Fifth Army broke through the enemy's last line and entered Rome, where the Allied troops have been received with joy by the population. This entry and liberation of Rome means that we shall have the power to defend it from hostile air attack and to deliver it from the famine by which it was threatened.
"However, General Alexander's prime object has never been the liberation of Rome. Great as are the moral, political and psychological advantages of that episode, the destruction of the enemy's Army has been throughout his aim. The Allied Forces, with the Americans in the van, are driving ahead northwards in relentless pursuit of the enemy, who are at the same time being engaged along the whole length of the line as they attempt to escape to the north. It is hoped that the 20,000 prisoners already taken will be followed by further large captures in the near future, and that the condition of the enemy's Army which he has crowded into Italy will be decisively worsened. It would be futile to attempt to estimate our final gains at the present time. It is our duty, however, to pay warmest tribute of gratitude and admiration to General Alexander for the skill with which he has handled this Army of so many different States and nations, and for the tenacity and fortitude with which he has sustained the long periods when success Was denied. In General Clark, the United States Army has found a leader of the highest order, and the fighting qualities of all the Allied troops have shone in noble and unjealous rivalry. The great strength of the Air Forces at our disposal, as well as the preponderance in armour, has undoubtedly contributed in a notable and distinctive manner to the successes which have been achieved. We must await further developments in the 4 Italian theatre before it is possible to estimate the magnitude or quality of our gains, great and timely though they certainly are.
"I have also to announce to the House that during the night and the early hours of this morning the first of a series of landings-in-force upon the European Continent has taken place. In this case the liberating assault fell upon the coast of France. An immense armada of upwards of 4,000 ships, together with several thousand smaller craft, crossed the Channel. Mass airborne landings have been successfully effected behind the enemy's lines, and landings on the beaches are proceeding at various points at the present time. The fire of the shore batteries has been largely quelled. The obstacles that were constructed in the sea have not proved so difficult as was apprehended. The Anglo-American Allies are sustained by about 11,000 first-line aircraft which can be drawn upon as need be for the purposes of the battle. I cannot, of course, commit myself to any details. Reports are coming in in rapid succession. So far the Commanders who are engaged report that everything is proceeding according to plan. This vast operation is undoubtedly the most complicated and difficult that has ever occurred. It involves tides, winds, waves, visibility both from the air and sea standpoints, and the combined employment of land, air, and sea Forces in the highest degree of intimacy and in contact with conditions which cannot be fully known. There are already hopes that actual tactical surprise has been attained, and we hope to furnish the enemy with a succession of surprises during the course of the fighting.
"The battle which has now begun will grow constantly in scale and in intensity for many weeks to come, and I shall not attempt to speculate upon its course. This I may say, however. Complete unity prevails throughout the Allied Armies. There is a brotherhood in arms between us and our friends of the United States. There is complete confidence in the Supreme Commander, General Eisenhower, and in his lieutenants, and also in the Commander of the Expeditionary Force, General Mont- 5 gomery. The ardour and spirit of the troops as I saw myself"—
that is the Prime Minister speaking—
"embarking in these last few days, is splendid to witness. Nothing that equipment, science, or forethought can do has been neglected, and the whole process of opening this great new front will be pursued with the utmost resolution both by the Commanders and by the United States and British Governments whom they serve."
§ LORD ADDISONMy Lords, I am sure it will suffice to-day if I confine myself to thanking the noble Viscount for the statement he has made and to joining with him in the sincere tribute he has paid to General Alexander and to the Forces under his command in Italy. I am sure that many of us, with recollections of experiences of the last war, looked forward with great apprehension to the attack upon the very strong positions that confronted our Armies. It must only be due to consummate skill and to the use of all arms is scientific combination that a break-through was achieved in so short a time and that success has so far crowned this brilliant undertaking. I am sure we should like to express our appreciation of the most important fact that the great and historic city of Rome has escaped damage to the great extent that it has. Finally, I join with the noble Viscount in what he has said about the great adventure that started to-day and which will, in future, make the sixth of June a memorable date.