VOLTURNO LINE PIERCED

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 11, 8 October 1943, Page 5

VOLTURNO LINE PIERCED

Success Of Allied Vanguard STILL SLOW GOING

(British Official Wireless and Press Assu.i

LONDON, October 6.

American troops have pierced the German line on the Volturno River and at one point have crossed the river. The Allies have captured the key transport junctions of Aversa artd Maddaloni. Aversa is on the main road Irom Naples to Rome, and Maddaloni is 14 miles north-east of Naples, on the direct route from Benevento to Capna. With vanguards of the Fifth Army across the Volturno, a new phase of the operations in Italy opens. The battle for Naples has ended and the battle for Rome has begun. It is just 100 miles to Rome in a direct line from Volturno. The crossing of the river was a major success in view of the stiff German resistance. Advanced forces of the Fifth Army who crossed the Calorc River apparently slipped round or through the Germans’ defences on the Volturno. , « . n The Fifth Army also clipped off eight miles from the road to Rome by the capture of Aversa and Madaloni. Moreover, our line in this sector has been straightened out to oue running almost due west from Aversa to the coast. Non-stop Allied air attacks are hampering the German retreat from the I ot; turno line. Fighters and fighter-bombers, operating from newly-won airfields, are pounding the roads behind the enemy and strafing his troop concentrations qnd transport columns. Heavy Fighting in East.

The Eighth Army is now meeting with the fiercest resistance since the crossing of the Straits of Messina. German infantry, supported by tanks, counterattacked against units of the Eighth Army west of JL'ermoli. This battle has now spread along the Biferno River, with the British standing firm against the enemy thrusts.

' British 25-pounders are in action iu the fighting along the line of the Biferno.- It is not stated how far along the line of

the Biferno General Montgomery’s men are consolidated. Our infantry threw emergency bridges across the fast-flowing Biferno River under shellfire and fought their way across to establish a firm footing on the northern bank, says Reuter’s correspondent with the Eighth Army. The Exchange Telegraph-s correspondent .says that Germans at dawn yesterday made a heavy counter-ata-ck on the perimeter defences at Termoli, and there was heavy fighting all day. In the early stages the Germans succeeded temporarily in denting the line, bu,t,.their further' 'attempts to make deep penetration failed and by nightfall the situation appeared to be well in braid. When the British landing party went ashore at Termoli last Sunday they captured Major Ran, commander of all the German forces along the Adriatic coast, Major Ran was found in bed. The German news agency states that British warships and guns are supporting the Eighth Army forces at Termoli. “The landing forces were thrown back yesterday- still farther behind the hills on the fringe of (he town,” it states. “Shellfire from light British nqval forces was unable to loosen the iron ring which confines flic other British troops to the shore. German fighter-bombers have attacked fresh British landings.” The news agency claims thaf two 1500-toii fully-laden landing craft grounded after being hit.b.V bombs, and that' three smaller landing barges capsized. Kesselring’s Order..

The Germans are most anxious about the speed of the Allied advances, says Reuter's correspondent with the Eighth Army; Kesselring has ordered his troops to “hold on or die” ns (he only alternative to a general withdrawal to Rome. The Fifth Army is continuing to make progress against stiffening opposition, with hindrance demolitions, craters, and mines on the route of advance, says a North' Africa land communique. The bringing forward of supplies and repairs is proceeding rapidly. The Eighth Army is iu contact with enemy forces west of Termoli. and on (he genera! line of the River Biferno. Heavy lighting is reported. A correspondent at Allied headquarters says that any advance is likely’to be slow. He adds: “This is particularly true of the Fifth Army sector, where we are meeting with most sntnnic delaying devices and where our after most bitter fighting, are dislodging. the enemy from well-organized strongpoints. Tlie Gormans have taken every advantage of orchards, rocks, walls, and small watercourses to establish themselves and conduct, delaying actions. Nevertheless, onr progress is steady, if slow.’-’ Strategy of Delay.

Algiers radio states: “German forces, under pressure by Allied troops from the south-west and harassed by Allied planes, are retreating deep into the heart of the mountains in central Italy. Their sole object now appears to be to delay the Allied advance in 'order to enable Rommel to organize his line of resistance.” It is most probable that the enemy is consolidating himself in high ground on the Vollurno. which he cannot hope to hold indefinitely but which will give him ample scope for delaying actions, a correspondent writes. The Vollurno in its lower reaches is about 100 ft. wide, with six feet of water running in it nt Ibis season. The banks are not steep, and. the river has silted un so that in places it is almost fordable. Unfortunately, the sandbanks do not coincide with the rond approaches, and can only be reached across muddy, ploughed fields. All the bridges except one were blown nn some days neo, and the Germans are unlikely to leave the remaining one intact. Any Allied efforts to bridge the river will have to be carried out under directed enemy fire.