PUSHING ON

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 October 1943, Page 3

PUSHING ON

FIFTH & EIGHTH ARMIES IN ITALY USEFUL HIGH GROUND TAKEN. PROGRESS IN APENNINES. LONDON, October 29. More progress is reported by the Fifth and Eighth armies in Italy. .A correspondent at Allied Headquarters states that the Eighth Army has steadily advanced on a 75-mile front and has captured a town in an inland district. The British and Canadians have pushed on in the Central Apennines. On the western half of the front, the Fifth Army has gained more useful high ground and taken a town. NEW OFFENSIVE OPENED BY THE ALLIES. ACCORDING TO ENEMY RADIO. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, October 28. The Allies have opened a new general offensive in Italy, said Rome radio tonight. The radio described the battle as sudden and violent, and added: “The Allies in the last few days have made active reconnaissance thrusts, and have now passed to the attack after regrouping their forces. Following an artillery barrage, the Fifth Army tried to envelop the German lines and open the way to Isernia by a dcuble thrust supported by numerous tanks. The fighting is the bitterest since Salerno.” The radio said that the Americans, with strong tank formations, unsuccessfully tried to capture a village and that the Eighth Army attacks were equally unsuccessful. AXIS REPORT OF MOVEMENT FROM CORSICA. LARGE CONTINGENTS AT SEA. LONDON, October 28. The Axis-controlled Radio of Liberation tonight declared that Allied naval units were keeping watch over the embarkation from Corsica of Allied troops,'which were believed to be preparing to land north of Rome. Large contingents went to sea yesterday. CALLED IMAGINARY GERMAN REPORTS OF COMING BIG BATTLE. AMERICAN WARSHIPS SHELL ENEMY FLANK. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.45 a.m.) RUGBY, October 29. ’ A North African communique states: ' “Further progress has been made on the Fifth Army front, where an important height has been captured. Fighting continues on the Eighth Army front and additional short advances have been made by British and Canadian troops. Montefalcone has been captured. Heavy rain has fallen in most of the operational sectors.” Reports from German sources that a big battle is imminent in Italy are described in London as “imaginary and probably put out in order to distract attention from the Russian front, perhaps even as preparatory to an imaginary German victory.” An air communique states: “On Thursday, bombers and fighters of the North-West African Air Force attacked road junctions, trains, bridges and enemy positions over the battle area. Landing fields near Orvieto, Littoria and Foligna were attacked by fighterbombers. In all these operations two enemy aircraft were destroyed. None of ours is missing.” . A Navy communique says: “Enemy shore positions in the Minturno area were bombarded by a United States cruiser and destroyers, operating in the Gulf of Gaeta, on Wednesday night.” NO ALLIED MENTION OF VIOLENT OFFENSIVE. ALLEGED BY THE AXIS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 9.15 a.m.) LONDON, October 29. The latest despatches from South Italy do not mention the new and violent offensive which Axis sources claim Generals Montgomery and Clark have already launched, but a major battle is stated to be imminent on the Fifth Army front. The Algiers radio says General Clark’s forces are squarely facing the German defences in the Matese Mountains. The Allies expect severe resistance from the Germans. ADVANCE STALLED AMERICAN CORRESPONDENT'S VIEW. NEW YORK, October 28. The Allied progress in Italy has- slowed down to such an extent that it requires a re-estimate of the entire situation, says Jaseph Harsch, writing in the “Christian Science Monitor.” H says that the Germans have stalled the advance long enough to organise a powerful defensive line in the narrowest part of the peninsula and are now established on a front of 100 miles, defended by seven German divisions, which is roughly 1000 men to each mile. Statements of the Allied generals show that they expected the Italian campaign to develop differently. This discrepancy can be explained by. first the Germans’ choice to make a major stand south of Rome instead of falling back to Florence; secondly, the ability of the Germans to organise a defence line south of Rome, achieved by thwarting an Allied drive across the peninsula from Salerno to isolate the Germans in the south; thirdly, the help given the Germans by a number of Italian officers surrendering their forces. The Allied pre-invasion bombing of

the railways had not paralysed the German troop movements as was hoped. The Germans obtained advance information of the Salerno landing from Italian officers, which enabled stouter resistance. The Germans also, noting no signs of an invasion across the English Channel moved very substantial forces to Italy. They now have 27 divisions south of the Alps, and more are still coming. LONG=TERM ARMISTICE CONCLUDED WITH ITALY. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.10 a.m.) RUGBY, October 29. It is made known in London that long-term armistice conditions with Italy were signed on September 29. The terms will be made available as soon as practicable.