MADE BY THE EIGHTH ARMY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 September 1943, Page 3

MADE BY THE EIGHTH ARMY

Extension of Bridgehead in Southern Italy TROOPS GETTING CONSTANT AIR SUPPORT POWERFUL ATTACKS ON ENEMY AIRFIELDS LONDON, September 6. Allied Headquarters in North Africa report that the Eighth Army today captured ten more towns and villages in the toe of Italy. Most of the newly captured places are in the interior, five to ten miles from the coast. Other British and Canadian troops are advancing along the coast at both ends of the bridgehead. Earlier in the day, a place 10 miles inland from Reggio was captured and the British now control the whole length of road between these two places. As yet there has been no severe fighting. So far, 3,000 prisoners have been counted, practically all of them Italians. Aircraft have again been over the invasion area from dawn to dusk in support of the British troops and attacking enemy troop concentrations and transport. Strong forces of Allied heavy and medium bombers struck hard at three of the main airfields in Southern Italy. Six enemy fighters were shot down. There -has been very little active opposition to the Allied advance, and only a limited amount of artillery fire. Air patrols report that most of the enemy positions in the southern part of the toe of Italy have been abandoned. White flags are fluttering over a number of Axis gun-pits, and enemy strongpoints, though stocked with sufficient ammunition and food to enable them to hold out for a month, are surrendering without firing a shot.