ADVANCE ON BROAD FRONT

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 230, 26 June 1944, Page 5

ADVANCE ON BROAD FRONT

Allied Forces In Italy SUCCESSES BY FIFTH ARMY (By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright.) (Received June 25, 9.15 p.m.) LONDON, June 24. The Allied armies in Italy continue to make further gains. A communique issued by General Alexander says that the Fifth Army has continued its advance and is moving forward on a broad front. The “Exchange Telegraph’s” correspondent at Algiers says Fifth Army armoured vehicles occupied Roecastrada and continued' to advance beyond the town against fierce opposition. The Germans north of Gavorrano put in Tiger tanks in an effort to impede the Fifth Army, but Allied artillery threw back this and other counter-at-tacks. French troops in this sector have pushed back the Germans and reached the general line formed by the south bank of the Ombrone River. Enemy resistance is also reported from the Eighth Army front, where hard fighting continues in Chiusi. j Rapid Advance. LONDON, Juiie 23. “With an improvement iu the. weather, our troops in the Adriatic sector continued their rapid advance and are now across the Chienti River,” states Allied communique from Italy. 1" “tn Army troops on the west coast pressed forward against strong resistance and are astride of Highways 1 and <3._ and are approaching Folloncia. Xhe Eighth Army in the central sector is encounterino, strong resistance north of Perugia and south-west of Lake Trasimeno, .and repused a number of counter-attacks. Advances on both sides of the Italian front have brought the troops nearer the vital ports' of Leghorn and Ancona, says Reuter’s correspondent at Allied' headquarters. Units of the I'ittli Army on the west coast forged ahead against strong resistance, and are now 60 miles from Leghorn. Fifth Army troops have also smashed ahead further inland along Highway to. The Germans have laid thick minefields and are increasingly using artillery. Scattered pockets equipped with self-propelled guns are holding out stubbornly. . The Germans have recaptured Chiusi, 22 miles south-west of Perugia, which the Allies seized two days ago. Chiusi has been the scene of a hammer-and-tongs day and night battle which after 48 hours was still going on late tonight. The Allied troops are being subjected to well placed German mortar fire which makes it difficult to obtain a firm grip on the town.

RAIDS ON RUMANIA Oil Plants And Railways Bombed

(Received June 25, 7.5 p.m.) LONDON, June 24. American heavy bombers today again attacked oil installations and railway lines in Rumania, specially in the Ploesti area, says Reuter’s correspondent at Allied headquarters in Yesterday upward of 750 heavy bombers, escorted by Lightnings and Mustangs, attacked the oil installations at Ploesti and Giurgiu and railyards at Nish, Yugoslavia. A considerable number of enemy fighters rose to meet the attack over Rumania, a number of them being shot down.