IMPORTANT GAINS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 November 1943, Page 3

IMPORTANT GAINS

MADE BY FIFTH ARMY LARGE-SCALE ALLIED AIR OPERATIONS. RAILWAY AND OTHER TARGETS BLASTED. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.57 a.m.) RUGBY, November 2. Allied Headquarters states that in further advances made on the Fifth Army front in Italy, the enemy has been driven from important positions. Pressure has bepn maintained on the Eighth Army fro'nt, and further ground has been gained jin the southern sector. Air operations have been resumed on a big scale by many hundreds of aircraft. Marshalling yards in two Adriatic cities—-Rimini, where the main railway from the northern plains through Bologna reaches the sea, and Ancona—were targets yesterday for the Twelfth United States Air Force. Mitchells attacked the yards at Rimini, scoring many hits, while Lightnings strafed a neighbouring railway station. Another formation of Mitchells attacked goods yards at Ancona, covering the target well. Other Mitchells scored a direct hit on a 500-ton merchantman in Port Ancona. Large explosions were seen -in the target area, and heavy damage was done to adjacent buildings. Flying Fortresses attacked the harbour of Spezia. Light bombers and fighters attacked Antrodoco, 50 miles north-east of Rome, on the railway crossing the Abruzzi Mountains, and strafed enemy-positions, road junctions and enemy rear units. Twelve enemy trucks were destroyed and railway lines were severed.

Warhawks engaged five enemy planes over Split, in Yugoslavia, and shot down two.

Enemy* bombers attacked Naples last night, but did no damage. Two enemy bombers were shot down.

■ Wellingtons attacked marshalling yards at Viareggio, on the west coast, at the junction of the coast railway with’Jfce Florence line. Two of our aircraft are missing from all operations. The Eighth Army continues to consolidate on the southern banks of the Trigno and now holds a solid block of ground south of the river, stretching for more than 30 miles from the coast to Roccavivari, in the mountains, writes a correspondent with the British forces. BEYOND THE TRIGNO, For some days past our troops have been gradually enlarging the bridgehead across the Trigno, near the coast, despite active artillery fire. The German guns trying to interfere found our guns ready to take them on. The enemy is scared of further landings after our successful effort at Termoli and has converted reconnaissance units into coast watching forces. He has been hurrying forward defences 18 miles north of the Trigno. The ground be-

tween the Trigno and the Sangro is mountainous in places, but the coastal road runs through a narrow plain. It is not expected that the Germans will build defences on the Sangro itself, but that they will establish them three or four miles behind the river, across rising ground from which they could easily cover the river.