FROM SMASHED DEFENCE LINE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 December 1943, Page 3

FROM SMASHED DEFENCE LINE

Germans in Eastern Italy

EIGHTH ARMY FOLLOWING UP ON IS-MILE FRONT HINDERED BY DEMOLITIONS AND MINEFIELDS ■ LONDON, December 2. The Germans in Italy are falling back on the Adriatic sector and Eighth Army troops are following them up on a 15 mile front, after their breaching of the main German winter defence line. The German losses were heawy in the four days of fierce fighting before the Allied break through. Over 1000 German prisoners were captured, besides a great quantity of guns and equipment. In the section of their winter line they have now lost the Germans had made every preparation for an extended defence, including the construction of deep dugouts and other works. The Germans are again exploiting to the full their tactics of demolitions and minefields to delay the Allied advance. In. the last 24 hours, the Allies have advanced three miles along a front of 15 miles and were last reported on the outskirts of two enemy strongholds on the main road to the north. In the Central Apennines the Germans have put in some strong spoiling attacks from their defences covering the main road to Rome. The Americans flung back these attacks. Allied artillery has been putting up a strong barrage on the key sector of the Fifth Army’s front and General Clark’s men have made slight gains.