FURTHER ADVANCES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 October 1943, Page 3

FURTHER ADVANCES

MADE BY THE FIFTH ARMY AGAINST STUBBORN RESISTANCE SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS NORTH OF CAPUA LONDON, October 18. lii Italy, further advances have been made by the Fifth Army north of the Voltnrno River against unrelent ing' German resistance. The Germans are being reinforced, but it. is believed that no German troops remain on the north bank of the river. In recent hours British troops have penetrated five miles north of Capua. American troops are dealing with the hill positions and on the Fifth Army’s right flank, Eighth Army patrols are probing towards the enemy’s line. Their activities are being disputed vigorously by the German rearguards. Bad weather has hampered air operations, though German communications in the battle area and deep in the rear continue to be attacked. GERMAN RETREAT ANTICIPATED BY ALLIES THREAT OF ENCIRCLEMENT (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) LONDON, October 18. The German High Command is expected to order its entire forces in southern Italy to withdraw toward Rome because of the speed of the Allied advance which is threatening a vast encircling movement, say dispatches from the Allied headquarters in North Africa. The Rome radio last night said that with imposing infantry forces, the Allies have launched an attack on a larger scale than ever before, apparently intending to force the road to Rome. The enemy is throwing in all he has. VATICAN INCIDENT GUARD FIRES AT LIGHT SEEN TO GO ON AND OFF LONDON. October 18. A sergeant-major on watch outside the Vatican reported that a guard was compelled to fire ‘when a light in the palace went on and off, says the Rome correspondent of the Madrid “Neuste Nachrichten.” The guard took the light for a signal. His duty to act could not be questioned by anyone and therefore no diplomatic incident arose. French troops have been added to the guard round the Vatican. POLITICAL PRISONERS RELEASED BY THE ALLIES FASCISTS ARREST OWNERS OF NEWSPAPERS LONDON, October 18. The Allies have released 1000 political prisoners, including Colonel Tito Zaniboni, who plotted to kill Mussolini in 1924. Zaniboni has been a prisoner for nearly 20 years. The Swiss radio says that Fascists in Italy have arrested Signor Arminesi, proprietor - of the “Giornale d’ltalia,” the “Popolo di Roma” and the “Tribune,” and have also arrested the proprietors of the “Messaggero” and the “Secolo.” WELL SUSTAINED AIR ATTACKS ON ENEMY COMMUNICATIONS. MORE DAMAGE TO RAILWAYS AND ON ROADS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.35 a.m.) > RUGBY, October 18. Our aircraft had to fly through heavy cloud yesterday to bomb and strafe German communication lines, gun positions and motor vehicles in Italy, states a correspondent at Allied headquarters. Sweeping up the east coast railway towards Ancona, Spitfires and Warhawks of the Tactical Air Force attacked two locomotives and a number of rail cars on a siding, and renewed their attacks on the train damaged on Saturday, setting fire to the cars that escaped the previous strafing. Fighter-bombers were busy over the battle area, bombing motor vehicles, troop concentrations and positions. Direct hits were scored on a bridge south of Garamanico. South-west of Chieti, medium bombers attacked Alife, but the weather made it impossible to see the results. Bostons bombed a railway junction south of Rome on Saturday and hit a railway on the east coast, south of Pescara.