HARD AND COSTLY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 October 1943, Page 3

HARD AND COSTLY

THE BATTLE FOR NAPLES PORT WILL VERY SOON BE IN USE. IN SPITE OF GERMAN EFFORTS. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) (Received This Day, 1.5 p.m.) LONDON, October 1. The battle for Naples, especially on the British wing, was as stiff as any of the fighting in Africa, says Reuter’s Algiers correspondent. .It caused casualties by the thousand, but not by tens of thousands as the Germans claimed. The Germans hung on to the city until the last possible moment, but its fall was inevitable after the British break through the Salerno mountains earlier in the week. Correspondents say the Germans strove to make the destruction of the port of Naples, which is capable of taking the largest vessels drawing up to 36 feet, as complete as possible, but engineers report that it may be made usable within a few days and it is expected that the harbour will .soon be busy with Allied shipping. FREEING ROME HOPE OF AVERTING DAMAGE TO CITY EXPRESSED BY PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT (Received This Day, 11.30 a.m.) WASHINGTON, October 1. An objective of the Allied forces in Italy was to free Rome, the Vatican and the Pope much in the manner of a crusade, while avoiding all possible destruction, said President Roosevelt, addressing his Press conference. Rome, he said, was occupied by German forces and the Vatican was virtually surrounded. Although the Pope was not in a state of siege, he had not anything resembling complete freedom, because German troops were stationed rounfi St Peter’s Square, practically in his frtfnt garden. The President added that he hoped the monuments and historical part of Rome would be recovered by the Allies without destruction. Everything possible would be done to protect the Vatican. The Germans would try to induce destruction in Rome by Allied forces, and he indicated that American forces would be on the alert against any such effort.