ORTONA IN RUINS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 December 1943, Page 3

ORTONA IN RUINS

LAST HOURS OF GERMAN DEFENCE CANADIANS ENTER AT DAWN. TANKS DRIVE OUT ENEMY REMNANTS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.15 a.m.) RUGBY, December 29. Describing last scenes in Ortona, a correspondent says the Canadians occupied the town at noon on Tuesday. By the late afternoon they had pushed up theicoastal road towards Pescara. On Monday night the enemy’s grip on ' Ortona had dwindled to the holding of a few buildings in the north-western part of the town. Then, realising that they had shot their bolt, the Germans withdrew during the night, leaving only rearguard parties of sappers and snipers to carry out last-minute demolitions. In the grey dawn the Canadians began to push through the streets, finding their way through extensive minefields and booby traps. Enemy snipers still covered some streets, but these were singled out and our tanks began to rumble along. By noon the Canadians reported that all enemy forces had been cleared from the town. They may have gone back to the River Arielle, running to the sea four miles north-west of Ortona. The scene in the town in the afternoon was one of great destruction. Inhabitants were wandering through the 'streets and stopping to gaze at the piles of rubble which were once their homes, but they feared to search the debris on account of the number of booby traps the Germans had planted. Of the normal population of 9,000, less than a hundred civilians remained in the town. VALIANT MOROCCANS. French Moroccan troops, in bitterly cold weather, in the northern sector of the Fifth Army front, again covered 'themselves with glory in ocupying a hill of over 3,000 feet, the highest point of Cantenella Degli Mainardi, writes another correspondent. They also took other high points in the mountains. To do so, they had to fight in most difficult country, composed entirely of high and woody ground. British troops improved their positions in the region of Vittacusa. VITAL STRONGHOLD.Further south the Germans are still holding in strength the village of San Vittore, one of the strongest points of their winter line. San Vittore is of the utmost importance, as its holders can maintain a grip on the main road from Cassino to Rome. There was a sharp air battle in Italy on Tuesday, when a heavy bombing attack was delivered against railway yards in the port of Rimini by Flying Fortresses and Liberators, escorted by Lightnings. The whole of the railway yards were covered with bombs. These bombers encountered no opposition, but a small number of Liberators which bombed railway yards at Vicenza had a stiff battle with 50 enemy fighters on their way to the target. The bombers shot down 19 enemy and probably destroyed five more. A concentrated attack against airfields in the vicinity of Rome was delivered by various types of medium bombers and fighter-bombers in one of their busiest days. Marauders dropped fragmentation bombs on the Guidonia and Centocelle aerodromes, without opposition. Civita Vecchia was again bombed yesterday. Four small vessels were also strafed. Marauders also bombed a bridge at Orveito, north-east of Rome.