SALERNO VALLEY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 September 1943, Page 3

SALERNO VALLEY

CLEARED OF THE GERMANS MEN AND SUPPLIES POURING IN TREMENDOUS GROWTH IN ALLIED AIR STRENGTH. TRANSFORMATION OF LANDING BEACHES. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.40 a.m.) RUGBY, September 22. A correspondent with the Fifth Army reports that the entire Salerno valley has been cleared of the Germans and that the Fifth Army in this sector is pursuing the enemy into the hills many miles back from the landing beaches. “Northern of the Salerno section,' the correspondent adds, “British elements are sticking doggedly to the slowly-retreating Germans, who are taking full advantage of the mountainous terrain to delay the advance along the road to Naples. With the acquisition of airfields, the Allied air strength has grown tremendously. The Luft-w-affe will need to be at full strength if it intends to cope with Air Marshal Tedder’s forces. Under permanent air cover, troops and supplies continue to pour into the original beach-head, which now looks more like a great new port in the stage of construction than the bathing resort it was two weeks ago. American engineers have done wonders in building devices to ensure the rapid unloading of men, supplies and equipment, and the original beachmasters, who stood courageously at the water’s edge, with shells landing all round, in the first days, have promoted themselves to harbour masters a title they well deserve.” MOVING FORWARD MORE CAPTURES BY FIFTH army. (Received This Day, 10.0 a.m.) LONDON, September 22. The Fifth Army continues to regroup and move forward, says an Algiers communique. The twin towns of Montecorvino and Ravalla and also San Cipriano, which is about 4| miles north-east of Salerno, have been captured by the Fifth Army. The Eighth Army has occupied the important town of Potenza.