ENEMY DEFENCE STIFFENS

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 239, 6 July 1944, Page 5

ENEMY DEFENCE STIFFENS

Italian Coast Areas STEADY BRITISH GAIN ABOVE LAKE LONDON, July 5. The principal latest advance in Italy has been made on the Eighth Army front south of Arezzo. Troops are now less than 20 miles from this communications centre. East of these troops the Germans are still stubbornly contesting hill positions, and also on the Adriatic sector difficult country is helping the defence of the approaches to Ancona. The Fifth Army on the west coast ' is continuing to fight its way forward, but here, too, the Germans are giving stubborn resistance. Defence Troops Switched. (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.-Copyright.) LONDON, July 4. . Field-Marshal Kesselring is shifting his forces from areas to the cast to meet the threat to Leghorn, which is now only 15 miles ahead of the Fifth Army troops smashing their way up the Ligurian coast, says Reuter’s correspondent at advanced headquarters in Italy. The Germans are defending tbeir crumbling line fanatically, but the Fifth Army forces have battered their way four - miles north of Cecina. The Germans on the Adriatic front arc also lighting bitterly and attempting to stop the Allies from I'eaching the important port of Ancona. A German counterattack at Filottrano, 16 miles south-west of Ancona, was unsuccessful. The British United Press correspondent says that though the Americans are within 13 miles of Leghorn they are fighting in a tangle of hills barring tlie way to the port and the lower valley of the Arno River. The Germans long ago pre- , pared this mountainous strip of coast . against landings from the sea and fortified it extensively. Our troops, for the first time for some weeks, are encountering the enemy's mortar lire—a sure sign that they are within range of prepared positions. They are also encountering minefields and strongpoints arranged in depth. Reuter's correspondent reports _ that Kesselring is using tanks for artillery. As a result tank battles are raging along the coast. Approaching Inland Line. Reuter’s correspondent with the Eighth Army says the Allies have begun an assault aginst Kesselring’s third delaying position. Eighth Army troops, keeping up 'their rapid advance up the Chitina Valley, already threaten Arezzo, which is the pivot of this new defence line. They are within eight miles of the town. Magione, on the east side of Lake Trasimcno, was held to the last man and the last round of ammunition in a fanatical defence. After the day’s advance _ of more than eight miles iu this sector stiffer resistance was encountered. British troops were opposed north of Trequenda by the heaviest opposition of the entire front. Tiger tanks and selfpropelled guns were knocked out in this area. Fighting is stiff and tierce on this sector, the British forces being opposed by the Hermann Goering Division. A substantial advance has been made north-west of the lake along Highway 21, where Cortona was taken. The Germans encountered were dug in between barbed wide defences. Advancing up the Tiber Valley, British and Indian troops, niak.ing steady progress, gained a footing on Monte Aeuto, three miles south-west of Umbertide. Further progress was made alter French troops of the Fifth Army captured Siena. The road leading to Arezzo was cut eight miles to the eastward and a general advance achieved between Siena to the sea to a depth of several miles. Polish Troops Attack.

In the eastern Appennines, San .Severino, on the upper Polenza, was occupied. The advance is continuing. A correspondent of “The Times” states that the Polish Corps, which fought, heroically on Monastery Hill and round Cassin’o, is carrying out a push in the Adriatic sector. It is lighting through mountainous country where it is easy for the enemy to obstruct the road. The German news agency’s commentator. Pracgner, says the Allied drive in Italy, particularly on the Tyrrhenian coastal sector and north-west of Lake Trasitncno, has assumed the character. of a break-through operation over a wide area. The Allies are intensifying their drive and have brought up more heavy arms. Algiers radio reports that between May 11, when General Alexander’s offensive opened, and July 1» the Fifth Army has taken 26.500 prisoners. The heaviest losses since the Liri Valley phase of the campaign have been inflicted on the Germans in the Lake Trasimeno area.

PLANES FOR ITALIANS

.LONDON, July 4. An Italian Government spokesman at Rome announced that the first Allied-built aircraft have been delivered to “tlie reborn Italian Air Force.”