EIGHTH ARMY SUCCESS

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 19, 18 October 1943, Page 5

EIGHTH ARMY SUCCESS

Important Junction Captured - FIERCE STRUGGLE ON , VOLTURNOSECTOR (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Received October 17, 8.25 p.m.) RUGBY, October 16. The capture of Vinchiaturo, on the central sector in Italy, is announced, and the capture of Campobasso, a neighbouring town, is confirmed, in a North Africa land communique. Further good progress has been made on the north and central sectors of the Italian front,” it says. "Reorganization on the ground gained and very active patrolling continue. After a determined assault, Campobasso and Vinchiatoro were captured. The enemy continues to employ widespread demolitions to delay our advance. Changeable weather impedes activity and slows the work of our patrols. “On the River Volturno sector, enemy opposition is still strong. Several bridges have now been constructed by our troops, arid heavy equipinent, including tanks, has been passed across. Fierce fighting continues as the enemy struggles to prevent enlargement of the bridgeheads.” • The battle, which is raging on a 25-mile front along the north bank of the Volturno, is the greatest since the Eighth Army landed in the toe of Italy, says Reuter’s Algiers correspondent. The Eighth Army has also occupied Morrone. The Fifth Army has captured Cajazzo and Cerreto, and the Americans have captured Amorosi.

The lost junction held by the Germans on the main road across Italy fell to the Eighth Army when it captured Vinchiaturo, 10 miles south-west of Campobasso. A correspondent reports that the Germans sought to hold the town, and even when British troops entered it the enemy tried to drive them out by heavy shell-fire. The Germans used an armoured train and sttiipropelled guns, in attempts to hold up the British as they pushed their way in. British guns following the infantry, after an exchange of fire for several hours, forced the German artillery to withdraw north into the mountains. While his rearguards have been content to fight small delaying actions, the enemy has always endeavoured to bold road junctions as long as possible, except when taken completely by surprise as at'Termoli. After one fruitless attempt to regain control of the Termoll end of the road, the enemy appears to have withdrawn on this sector. He may be preparing to hold line along the River Trigno, but this is expected to be an intermediate stage before a stand along the bigger River Saugro. The Germans are reported to be building defences along the northern banks of tills river, which runs into the sea 20 miles south-east of Pescara and covers the Pescara-Rome road. The whole road from Termoli to Vinchiaturo is now in Allied hands. From the latter place the road runs north-west to Isernia. Fighting in this direction is expected to be bitter, but if we reach Isernia, the general effect might well be that German positions opposite the Fifth Army would be outflanked, since from Isernia, the road runs westward, which would be definitely behind the Germans. But it would be wrong to expect a precipitate retreat in the near future. Strong rearguard actions may be expected on each line to which the Germans may withdraw. I Enemy Position Deteriorating. Cairo radio says that the Tilth Army has advanced five miles. The situation for the Germans north of the Volturno is rapidly deteriorating, . The Columbia Broadcasting bystems Algiers correspondent says that the Allies have advanced about four miles along the Tyrhennian coast. There are indications that the Germans are preparing to disengage their forces north and northwest of Camnobasso. The German military commentator, Captain Sertorius, speaking on Berlin radio, says that General Montgomery is believed to have switched the bulk of his forces from the Termoli sector to strengthen the Allied drive in the Oampobasso area. Latest Press messages from Allied headquarters indicate that the Germans are trying to disengage from positions on the high ground north, of the Volturno. Though they have had good experience in the tactics of withdrawal, they are encountering considerable difficulties and are being given no peace by Allied advance guards moving rapidly on their heels over ground which offers very poor cover. The enemy is sowing mines and making demolitions to cover his retreat and German aircraft have made determined attempts to destroy the Volturno bridges. On one occasion, 12 to. 15 fighters tried to blow ,up a bridge, but seven were brought down by . ground fire and others damaged. Allied aircraft accounted for another five.

All our 'bridgeheads are intact and in full working order, says a correspondent “across the Volturno.” He adds that under cover of darkness last night the Germans came down to the valley from which they had fled early yesterday, and with massed tanks attempted to capture three of our main riverheads. Fierce battles followed, in which tanks, tankdestroyers and anti-tank guns engaged and the enemy was driven off.

It seemed that the Germans realized that they had let the Volturno go far too cheaply, and were trying to retrieve the position by desperate methods, but, thanks to the splendid work of British and American engineers, the Fifth Army had the right kinds of stuff across the river and in sufficient quantities to deal with the counter-attacks. The Allied force which made the surprise landing north of Volturna was British, and included infantry, tanks and artillery. The operation was a complete success. They have already made contact with troops from the south. Navy Helps Landing. The Allied landing just north of the Volturno and along the canal running from the sea to Castelforle was greatly helped by devastating covering fire from the guns of the British destroyers Laforey and Lookout, and the Dutch gunboat Flores. , ~ The fact that the enemy holds most of the high ground gives him a tremendous advantage. The Allies are confronted with flat ground intersected by small streams, and fight in ankle-deep mud. In spite of this, a correspondent at the front reports that the battle can be considered a successful operation.* High ground four miles north of the river rises to 4000 feet. Strong resistance was met at Capua and north of that town, where the Germans are disputing every inch of ground and protecting their left flans in order to safeguard the centre. North of Capua the terrain is not so difficult. In this region the enemy has been making many counter-attacks, often using tanks and mobile artillery. Fearing further Allied landings, the Germans have ordered the evacuation of the Italian coast between Ostia (15 miles north-west of Rome) and Minturno (20 miles north of Volturno), says Morocco radio, while, according to Algiers radio, the Germans have ordered the evacuation of the whole coast northward from Ostia. Reuter said yesterday that the British troops made their brilliant, successful landing just north of the Volturno^ Estuary at the same moment as the h ifth Army struck across the river in the Capua area. The country north from Capua to Rome has been reduced to a morass, increasing the difficulties of our armoured vehicles. The Germans here are repeatedly counterattacking, backing up their tanks with mobile guns. ' ' The British United Press says that the Germans had actually recaptured Capua, which became a no-mau’s land, before the Fifth Army launched its offensive across the river. ~ Both the Fifth Army and the Germans suffered heavy casualties. ~ The German news agency said yester- ' day that the German formations had withdrawn to the heights north-east of Capua. General Clark’s troops, it said, were attacking in strength and comprised at least four infantry divisions and one tank division.