SWIFT DRIVE IN ITALY

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 224, 19 June 1944, Page 5

SWIFT DRIVE IN ITALY

Key Town Menaced FRENCH LANDING IN ELBA (By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright.) LONDON, June 18. In spite of strong German resistance, Fifth Army troops have made further advances west of the Appenines and are closing in on Perugia, 80 miles north of Rome. One correspondent .says they are already in the outskirts. To the west good progress has also been made and losses inflicted on the enemy. Bad weather has cut down air operations, but about 1000 sorties were flown by our aircraft yesterday for the loss of three planes. Earlier messages reported the capture of Grosseto, described as the last important German stronghold before Pisa. Reuter's correspondent at Allied headquarters stated that according to captured documents the Pisa-Rimini natural defence line had been named the Gothic Line. No organized defence lines south of this positio nhave yet been located. The whole Fifth Army front is now nearly 100 miles from Rome. French forces have landed on the island of Elba. Strong resistance has been encountered in several parts of the island and prisoners have been taken. The island of Pianosa, eight miles south of Elba, has been occupied. The French expeditionary force, which included commandos and colonial troops, was transported to. Elba by the British and American navies, says an Algiers correspondent. Some French craft helped to provide support for the assault troops. The Mediterranean Allied Air Force, with the support of a French squadron, gave Pr Elba l has C been’under assault by French troops since 1 a.m. today, writes a correspondent from the island. Hie enemy opened up heavy mortar fire against the landing craft approaching the main beaches in Campo Bay, on the soutn coast. A British naval beach party quickly established communication and the sailors, wading at times chest-deep in water, aided the troops ashore. The troops, who met with no opposition on

this beach, clambered up steep rocks to proceed to the attack. French shock battalions had landed first to wipe out batteries of heavy guns on both sides of the bay. Their landing craft had to penetrate over 2000 yards between heavilydefended cliffs to reach the objective. Every landing ship was wearing the French Tricolour as a tribute to our allies. Reuter's Rome correspondent says that General Alexander called on the Pope. It is believed he discussed the food situation in Home.