RETREATING GERMANS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 October 1943, Page 4

RETREATING GERMANS

DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO BLOCK ROADS N ORDER TO DELAY FIFTH ARMY. SOME DAMAGE PREVENTED BY QUICK ADVANCE. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.20 a.m.) . RUGBY, October 4. Despite enforced delays, thq Fifth Army is now well on its way towards the Volturno River from Naples, says a correspondent with the Fifth Army. The configuration of the country, particularly the dorsal mountain spine, will probably enable the Germany to hold the Vchurno line for some time, de- - "n -'he - -’i.’? '"ess on the toad ccnciii n, , ..pondent : .y'S, arc appalling. Bridges have been blown up and reads cratered and obstructed in every conceivable fashion. This country is reasonably well wood-ed,-with trees of considerable size, and along the roadside the Germans nave felled these trees with charges of explosives, in many cases creating road blocks which take time to shift. There Is cne long road where these trees are still standing. The quick advance of our forces drove the enemy back before the charges could be fired, and the explosives can still be seen attached to trunks. ALLIED ARMIES ADVANCING ON ITALIAN CAPITAL. BUT STILL AT CONSIDERABLE DISTANCE. (Received This Day, 10.25 a.m.) LONDON, October 4. The Allies’ western and eastern claws are closing on Rome, from which they are 120 and 150 miles distant, respectively, says Reuter’s Algiers correspondent. Enemy opposition is stiff on the west and east coasts, but General Clark’s Americans, advancing from Benevento, in the centre, report only light resistance. - LITTLE PROSPECT OF STAND ON VOLTURNO LINE. GERMANS OUTFLANKED. (Received This Day, Noon.) LONDON, October 4. The Eighth Army forces which the Berlin radio describes as “major” made a surprise landing at Termoli, on the Adriatic coast, about 50 miles northwest of Foggia and 17 miles ahead of the . main British forces. The main force quickly moved up to join the invaders, who repelled German counterattacks and took prisoners. The Fifth Army’s right flank is mak- . ing satisfactory progress and, according to the Algiers radio, enemy resistance is weakening after the Allied crossing of the Calore River. The radio says the Allies captured Cajazzo, ten miles north-east of Benevento, increasing the outflanking threat to the Volturno line. Our ail’ reconnaissances have not given an indication of when and where .the Germans wili make a stand. It is ■believed in Algiers that the chances of r a stand on the Volturno River are remote, but that if one is attempted it is very likely to be brief. The Allied air forces today knocked out a vital bridge at Capua, over which the Germans were withdrawing. Reuter’s correspondent at Allied Headquarters says the battlefront tonight gives a picture of a masterly strategic plan swinging into action. It i-e-Marshal Kesselring against General . Alexander, and General Alexander scoring all along the. line. The Germans, who are falling, back slowly in »tfie direction of Rome, are being gravely_outflanked by the Eighth Army’s / - leapfrog to Termoli and six-mile advance, along the cross Appenines road. EFFECTIVE STROKE THE LANDING AT TERMOLI.' MANOEUVRE THAT MAY BE REPEATED. (Received This Day, 12.50 p.m.) LONDON, October 4. » ’ Marshal Keselring’s position in ' the west is even worse than elsewhere, a Reuter correspondent states. The Fifth Army, in storming across the Calofe River, north of Benevento, has shattered any hope Keselring still had of standing on the Volturno line. However, Ger- ’ man resistance is stiffening along < the front and demolitions are increasing. It is a hard battle. The Eighth Army’s landing at Ter- ■ moli apparently was made under cover ; of darkness. It put the Allied forces “ considerably ahead of their main forces * which, however joined up later in the day. The Germans were surprised at ■ the landing, but resisted strongly, and after the town fell they counter- . attacked vigorously but unsuccessfully. According to the Berlin radio commentator, Captain Sertorius, the Allies landed about a thousand men in this I‘seaborne enveloping manoeuvre.’’ The British United Press Algiers correspondent points out''the importance of Termoli, not only as a small port, - but as an intersection of the Adriatic (coastal road and the highway westward across the Appenine range. It is also the Adriatic terminus of a railway from Benevento. Moreover, further along the coast are parallel roads running inland,, similarly as from Termoli, and what has been achieved at Termoli can be achieved at one or several of these points... Further landings would place the Eighth Army in a position to menace the German rear and force much . quicker withdrawals. It has been disclosed that a further 133 abandoned enemy planes have been found on airfields in Italy south of the battle line, making a total of 377. ______________