COSENZA FALLS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 219, 15 September 1943, Page 3

COSENZA FALLS

EIGHTH ARMY DRIVE

Allied Activity North And West

Of Taranto

N.Z. Press Association —Copyright Rec. 10.30 a.m.* LONDON, Sept. 14. The Allied Eighth Army has made rapid progress in Southern Italy and has taken Cosenza, an important railway town 30 miles north-west of Catanzaro, and is continuing its advance unchecked except for holdups caused by demolitions, states a communique from Algiers. Allied forces are active north and west of Taranto.

Some of the fiercest actions of the Mediterranean war are being fought round the Salerno bridgehead, with the Germans battling hard against the Allies' attempts to break through. The enemy is fighting from carefully-prepared positions, in force, and his defence is skilful.

All news from this front emphasises the very hard fighting the British troops are having in the hills behind the coastal plain. The Germans seem to have organised their troops in small task forces with tanks, infantry and supporting arms. They are highly mobile and have been making quick harassing thrusts. The Allied troops, however, are alert to these infiltration tactics.

Tough German Resistance

The Fifth Army has pushed forward several miles in the southern sector of the Salerno front, in spite of tough German resistance, says the British United Press correspondent with the Fifth Army. The Allies have consolidated both the northern and southern flanks of their position, but the Germans have counterattacked strongly in the centre, where there has been fierce fighting during the past few days. This attack has given the Germans a stronger bite into part of the main Salerno-Naples road, which they now hold after it had changed hands several times. The Americans fell back, fighting everv inch of the way, pumping shells into the German lines and inflicting heavy casualties.

British and U.S. Forces Contact

The Fifth Army is reported to hold 50 miles of front south of Sorrento Peninsula. The Columbia Broadcasting System correspondent at Allied Headquarters says: "We have gained one important tactical objective at Salerno—there is now free movement between the British and American forces, and contact between the landing forces is being steadily strengthened. "The German chances of pushing us back to the beaches are now greatly reduced. It is a grinding fight. The Germans have not yet thrown all their available reserves into the battle." . An air communique from Algiers says that North-west African Air Force medium bombers and light bombers attacked road junctions, railways and enemy transport in the Potenza and Auletta areas, also railway junctions at Torre del Greco and Pompeii and in an area south-east of Salerno. Fighters yesterday destroyed 10 enemy aircraft over the battle area.