SOME PROGRESS IN ITALY

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 16, 14 October 1943, Page 5

SOME PROGRESS IN ITALY

Flank Of Volturno

Front

BEING TURNED BY AMERICANS

(By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) LONDON, October 12.

Rain continues seriously to restrict the moves of the ■Allied armies, in southern Italy. The Volturno River has overflowed . its banks at some points. Nevertheless, some progress is being made both at the right wing of the Fifth Army and the left wing' of the Eighth Army toward Vincliiaturo, the vital cross-Italy road junction in the central Apennines. Algiers radio stated that the Fifth Army was massing along a 50-mile front. Important reinforcements bad reached the Allied armies .in preparation for a break-through in the German defences in front of Rome. The Fifth Army is now using tor its supplies one railway line running north from Naples. "When tlie troops moved north they found the network of railways hfid been destroyed, mainly by Allied bombing but finished off by Germans. The Italians declared that repair was impossible. Our engineers were sceptical, but the line was made up by salvaging odds and ends. Resistance Stiffening. Algiers radio stated that tlie Americans, in the past 24 hours, advanced more than 14 miles and penetrated deep into mountainous terrain. General Clark’s army was beginning to turn the flank of the Volturno front north of Benevento. The German resistance was stiffening. The British United Press correspondent reports skirmishing north-west of Termoli, where some of our patrolling forces made contact with German tanks which were taking up positions after regrouping. Eighth Army guns also went into action against the enemy regrouping after the German defeat in the fight for the Termoli heights. The German forces now facing the Allies in southern Italy form the 10th Army under the command of Colonel-General von Vietinghoff. So far seven divisions have been identified. Four are panzer divisions and two are panzer grenadiers. There is also the First Parachute Division. This army would appear to comprise the troops under the command of Air Marshal Kesselring, who. divides the command in Italy, with Field-Marshal Rommel, the latter remaining in the north. What forces Rommel has under him will be known definitely when we make contact with them, but it may well be that they comprise about 10 divisions. It has never been clarified which of the two marshals is considered the senior, and it is generally known that they do not see exactly eye to eye. It is believed, however, that neither has an independent command, and that, both are acting directly under the chief of the general staff. There is a third marshal, von Richtofen, in the field in command of the air forces, and he presumably works with Rommel or Kesselring as occasion demands. German Tanks and Artillery. It is reported that three German divisions are waiting to oppose any crossing of the Volturno River between . the sea and the junction of the Galore River, and that they include the 16th Panzer Grenadier Division and the Hermann Goering Division. They have 100 tanks between them and their artillery is considerable.

Citizens of Rome, heard the distant crump of bombs followed by.a menacing glow in the sky when Allied bombers noufided a train near the city Inst night. They riddled the train with bullets and finished it off with bombs. Bombers ranged up and down the road and railway between Rome and Capua, bombing all night long a second train, railway stations, and road convoys.