BITTER CONFLICT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 October 1943, Page 4

BITTER CONFLICT

IN ITALIAN MOUNTAINS HEIGHTS SCALED BY ALLIES SMASHING AIR ATTACKS. IN BATTLE AREA AND NORTH OF ROME. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, October 27. (Received This Day, 12.5 p.m.) Bitter fighting is in progress between the Eighth Army and the German forces defending the approaches to Isernia. The British United Press Algiers correspondent points out that any major Allied advance in this sector would effectively outflank the line the Germans are now manning between Mondragone, on the Tyrrhenian Sea and Venafro, along the Massico ridge. The strongest German opposition is being met around the little village ol Torello. which is in the mountains north of the Vinchiaturo-Isernia railway. Eighth Army units have advanced three miles to the outskirts of Torello. The battleground hereabouts consists of a funnel-shaped valley, with the enemy holding the small northern exit. The Eighth Army's right wing continues to strengthen its positions on the northern side of the Trigno River, where it has captured two more villages. One of these places is 16 miles south of Vasto.

.The Fifth Army today captured Montanara, two miles north-west of Sparanise, several heights west of the Massico mountains and heights along the west side of the Upper Volturno. also along the north side of the Appian Way, the latter in a fresh push from Franolisc. This latest advance has brought the Fifth Army on to high ground commanding the Appian Way. Units which scaled the 2.560 feet range in the area of the Upper Volturno are now gaining positions threatening the Germans in their retreat towards Venafro.

The tremendous day arid night Allied aerial hammering of the vulnerable rail bridges north of Rome has virtually severed the railway connections between Rome and Austria. Fighterbombers and Spitfires are supporting the Fifth Army in waves. At one point, which the infantry took after heavy bombing attacks, there were scores of German dead who had been blown from their trenches by bombs. Most had their heads or limbs missing. Italian soldiers, wearing their own uniforms, are now helping the Fifth Army engineers in this sector. The Berlin radio claimed that prisoners from the Grenadier Guards, Scots Guards and Coldstream Guards had been taken on the Volturno front in the past few days.