EIGHTH ARMY ATTACKING STRONGLY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 October 1943, Page 3

EIGHTH ARMY ATTACKING STRONGLY

Good Early Progress in Apennines Thrust TARGETS IN SOUTH-EASTERN GERMANY BOMBED BY AMERICAN AIRCRAFT BASED ON ITALY LONDON, October 24. The British Eighth Army is on the move again in the mountains and near the Adriatic coast. General Montgomery has launched an offensive to push the Germans back across the Trigno River and his troops have already made good progress. In one sector they have advanced six miles and fought their way across the river and established a bridgehead, to which men and supplies are crossing. A correspondent states that on the whole line, the Eighth Army is fighting its way forward in extremely difficult country. In the centre they are threatening Isernia, through which passes the only cross-country road of any importance. Fighting continues on the Fifth Army’s front, but not on the same scale. An Allied communique reports more progress in spite of enemy resistance. The Americans have advanced three miles up the valley of the Volturno, captured a town and gained more valuable high ground. A correspondent says the Germans have been surprised at the speed of the Allied advance in some places. Ammunition and equipment have been captured, which the enemy had abandoned in some disorder. Fighter-bombers are keeping up their attacks on the enemy’s gun and troop positions. Three important bridges in the Rome area were attacked yesterday and last night the R.A.F. went back to the same area to smash up airfields. Two of the main railway lines running north from Rome were reported to have been blocked by recent bombing. In the Eastern Mediterranean an airfield at Heraklion, in Crete, and other targets in the Aegean area have been attacked. The German news agency says a large formation of American four-engine bombers, from bases in Southern Italy, attacked South-Eastern Germany. They bombed targets over a large area between Vienna and the northern approaches to the Alps. At one point major damage was caused. Bad weather hampered the ground defences.