ALLIED ONSET

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 September 1943, Page 4

ALLIED ONSET

MAIN THRUST IN SOUTH COMPLAINTS BY GERMAN PRISONERS. TOTAL ABSENCE OF AIR SUPPORT (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 12.50 p.m.) LONDON, Septerqper 16. The British United Press correspondent reports that British and American troops began an early morning advance and behind them battleships 'went into action for the first time and other Allied warships poured out a devastating shell fire. Overhead the air forces had softened the enemy positions. The main weight of the drive appears to be in the area of the Sele and Colore rivers, north-west of Altavilla, where the German salient has been already smashed. The Germans are retreating before our forces. The Allies probably have launched strong attacks in other parts of the bridgehead. Reuter’s correspondent says: “The crisis of the Salerno bridgehead is over. The Fifth Army, stiffened by strong reinforcements during the past 48 hours, passed from the defensive to the offensive and part of the ground lost in the past 'four days of German counter-attacks has been regained. The Allied bridgehead north-west of Altavilla is now nearly eight miles deep. The Allied air forces yesterday flew 2,000 sorties in the Salerno area, making a total of more than 4,000 in two successive days. Only four planes were lost.”

German prisoners captured in the Salerno area say the German troops are ■asking: “Where is the Luftwaffe?” says 'Reuter’s correspondent. One prisoner said: “We have hardly seen a German plane in the air for three weeks. We are dog tired. No humans can stand up to such regular and powerful bombing.”The Berlin radio commentator. Captain Sertorius, said the Allied command, under cover of strong units of l the British Navy, had succeeded in landing considerable reinforcements during the past 24 hours.’ Captain Sertorious added: “Allied attempts to ease the situation by landing paratroops behind the German positions at Pompeii failed and all the troops were wiped out.” The Berlin radio admitted that the Allied naval forces and air forces are able to put up an umbrella over the Allied troops. “There were moments,” it says, “when the United States Command was ready to give up the action, but after orders from the High Command, reinforcements' poured in and fresh efforts were made to hold the bridgehead at any cost.” General Alexander, after visiting Salerno Bay and touring the battlefront with General Clark, described the Allied operations as a magnificent job of work, 100 yards from the enemy guns.