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DESPERATE EFFORTS

MADE BY THE GERMANS TO HOLD REMNANTS OF ORTONA. USE MADE OF FLAME-THROWERS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.0 a.m.) RUGBY, December 28. It is announced that the Canadians have taken Ortona. The evacuation of Ortona was announced by the German High Command as follows: “Our troops have evacuated the ruins of Ortona and occupied new positions close to and north-west of the town.” Describing the last German attempts to hold Ortona, a correspondent with the Eighth Army said: “In their desperate efforts to maintain their hold on Ortona, the Germans on Sunday evening brought flame-throwers and tanks inland from the coast to support parachute troops against the Canadians, who had kept up. fierce house to house fighting for eight days. These flame-throwers project flaming liquid sixty yards from a tube mounted in a tank’s turret, and have added to the devastation of Ortona, where scarcely a single building is left intact. The enemy are using every kind of subterfuge. Their latest trick is to place large quantities of explosive in the cellar of a house before evacuating it and then detonating it electrically after Allied troops have taken the building. They are fighting savagely and heavy losses have compelled them to bring up further reinforcements. Thus they have reformed the 334th Division, which was smashed in Tunisia by the First Army. This brings the number of German divisions fighting in Italy to fourteen. A correspondent at Allied Headquarters states that the Fifth Army has captured new heights in the Monte Morrone-area, two miles south-west of Castel De Sangro. Further south, a local battle is in' progress for other high ground. Foul’ miles north of Mignano a battle is going on for the Sambucaro feature. Here, 11 miles east of San Vittore, the Fifth Army has captured two more features and is consolidating its positions in the area overlooking San Vittore. Patrols probing into enemy territory have found San Vittore held in. considerable strength by the enemy, who is working desperately to turn it into a defensive bastion.

In. the vicinity of Vezzani, four miles inland from the Adriatic coast, fighting has been in progress half-way between the Ortona-Orsogna Road and Tollo. In the area of Crecchio, six miles inland, the Eighth Army is defending a village from heights to the north-west, and is holding a hamlet half a mile further south. Today’s Italy communique, which was issued before the capture of Or- ( tona, stated that both Canadian and Indian troops had captured prisoners in mopping-up operations in Ortona. The communique added that further south the enemy is holding tenaciously. It confirms the Algiers announcement that the Americans have captured two more features on Monte San Murco, thus completing the consolidation of positions on this important massif. An air communique says medium bombers yesterday attacked viaducts at the Reccozoagli railway yards at Fogglionzi, and shipping near Zara. The weather is slightly better on the Fifth Army front. Fighter-bombers attacked Civita Vecchia, where hits were scored on shipping and harbour installations and railway yards. Rolling stock was destroyed or damaged on the AnconaPescara line, and a factory and railway yard at Agnani were bombed. All our aircraft returned.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WAITA19431229.2.20.2

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 December 1943, Page 3

Word count
Tapeke kupu
530

DESPERATE EFFORTS Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 December 1943, Page 3

DESPERATE EFFORTS Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 December 1943, Page 3

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