CAPTURE OF TERMOLI

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 9, 6 October 1943, Page 5

CAPTURE OF TERMOLI

Battleships Aid Landing By Montgomery’s Men

LONDON, October 4. In the sea-borne attack on Termini, the Eighth Army troops landed J 5 miles in front, of the main force. I hey captured the town, took prisoners, and repelled all German attempts to dislodge them. They were in complete control of the town when the main Eighth Army force reached Termoli. It is revealed that the British battleships Nelson and Rodney took part in this operation, and also a squadron Da carriers under the command of Vian, who commanded the . destroyer Cossack when it rescued British seamen from the prison ship Altmark. The Eighth Array’s landing apparently was made under cover of darkness. Ihe Germans were surprised at the landing, but resisted strongly, and after the town fell they counter-attacked vigorously, without success. . According to the Berlin radio conimentator, Captain Sertorius, the Allies landed about 1000 men in this ’seaborne enveloping manoeuvre. The Algiers correspondent or the British United Press points out that the importance of Termoli is not only as a sniail port, but as the intersection of the Adriatic coastal road and the highway westward across the Apennine range. It is also the Adriatic terminus of the railway from Benevento. Moreover, further along the coast are parallel roads running inland similarly as from Termoli, and what was achieved at Termoli can be achieved nt one or several of these points. Further landings would place the Eighth Army in a position to menace •the German rear and force much quicker withdrawals. The air battle moves steadily un tne peninsula ahead of the ground forces. Allied aircraft yesterday plastered roads and railway tracks north of Naples and on the way'to Rome. American medium bombers destroyed one of the main bridges across the Volturno River. Last night Wellingtons damaged marshalling yards at Civitavecchia, north of Rome. It has been disclosed that a further 133 abandoned enemy planes were found on airfields in Italy south of the battle line, making a total of 377.