SENT TO ITALY

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 228, 23 June 1944, Page 5

SENT TO ITALY

Axis Divisions From Western. Front

LONDON, June 22.

Bad. weather has hampered the crosscountry movement of Allied troops in Italy. On the Adriatic sector, Allied troops are now 20 miles beyond the Tronto River. Further west the Fifth Army is now 15 miles north of Grossetto. Hitler after the present Italian offensive started switched two divisions from the western front and one division from the Balkans, states Reuter’s correspondent at advanced Allied headquarters in Italy. The Fifth Army has taken prisoners belonging to the 19th Luftwaffe Division, who say they left Belgium on June 10. Other prisoners have been taken belonging to the 16th Schutzstaffel (S.S.) Division, who were previously stationed in the Balkans, and the third fresh division has been identified as the 20th Luftwaffe Division from Denmark. These are among the elements that Kesselrins is mustering north of Grosseto, in an attempt to stop the Fifth Army’s sweep to Pisa. The Germans are desperately trying to hold General Clark’s forces in the hills north of Grosseto with anti-tank guns, self-propelled guns, and road blocks. Costly losses to the Germans, through the use of horse-drawn artillery .are part of the price Kesselring is paying for delaying his withdrawal too long. When the Americans captured Montepescali they took nine horse-drawn six-inch guns and 50 horses. Torrents of rain are still hampering the Allied armies, but our troops are making progress all along the front. Eighth Army men are now through Perugia, and are chasing the Germans north of the town. West of Perugia they have captured Chinsi, on Highway 71.