EIGHTH ARM SWARMS ON TO FOGGIA PLAIN

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 229, 27 September 1943, Page 5

EIGHTH ARM SWARMS ON TO FOGGIA PLAIN

AIRFIELDS AS PRIZE

Significant Evacuation By Luftwaffe N.Z. Press Association —Copyright Rec. 11 a.m. LONDON, Sept. 26. The Fifth and Eighth Armies are meeting with sharply contrasting conditions at either end of the Allied line across Southern Italy. The Eighth Army, which has advanced 300 miles since landing at Reggio, is now swarming on to the Foggia Plain, less than 25 miles south of Foggia. Reuters correspondent in Algiers stated in an earlier message that the Eighth Army, advancing up the east coast, occupied Canosa and reached the Ofanto River, only 30 miles from the key network of German airfields around Foggia. Occupation of Town Implied In a later message Reuters correspondent says the capture of Canosa has not been announced, but the occupation of the town is implied in an Allied communique reporting that the Eighth Army has reached the Ofanto River. British Wireless states that the arrival of Eighth Army troops at the Ofanto River line represents a rapid advance in the direction of the Gulf of Manfredonia. The river joins the sea five miles north-west of Barlatta and 23 miles north-west of Molfetta, the capture of which was reported by Algiers radio last night. Between Barletta and Molfetta lies another important town, Trani. Spinazzola is the junction where the railway from Barlotta meets the line running north-west from Altamura to MeJfi. It is 26 miles south-west ] of Barletta. The capture of Atella, j ten miles south of Melfl, represents a still further advance from the former position. An Allied Headquarter communique from Algiers states: "On the Adriatic coast our troopsreached the line of the Ofanto River. The advance continues successfully over the entire area. The towns of Spinazzola and Atella have been captured. The Fifth Army is fighting its way forward through difficult country and the Germans are being forced to' give ground slowly.' The German commander, Kesselring, is still avoiding battle against General Montgomery's swiftly-mov-ing forces, but the Luftwaffe's evacuation of 12 satellite airfields around the big enemy air base at Foggia may be significant. However, the evacuation of these airfields may not mean that Foggia is falling easily. Ah- Support for Fifth Army The roads across the Apennines Range branch out from Foggia towards Naples and Rome. There are also other routes to the north. The possession of Foggia would give the Allies a stranglehold on communications in South-eastern Italy. The possession of the airfields would enable additional valuable air support to be given to the Fifth Army. The Eighth Army advanced 25 miles yesterday and brushed aside some enemy resistance to enter the plain of Foggia. The composite British-American Fifth Army at the other end of the Allied line is advancing yard by yard across mountain defiles a few miles north of Salerno. The Fifth Army, moving forward on a 25-mile front, holds the bottleneck on the road from Nocera to Naples, also key positions on the mountain road to Benevento. Units of the Fifth Army captured Cava di Terreni, four miles northwest of Salerno, then advanced another mile and captured Sener Chiavalva.

Like Long Stop Hill Reuters correspondent with the Fifth Army says the battles in which the Germans were pushed back from th'e mountain fastnesses verging on the Nocera Road resemble that for Long Stop Hill and other battles for Tunisian heights. Transport in many sectors is possible only by pack mules. Well-concealed German artillery and mortar positions must be wiped out one by one. Allied bombers are ceaselessly hammering road junctions and enemy positions before the advancing Fifth Army. The correspondent of the Associated Press says American troops of the Fifth Army advanced 30 miles in six days. The advance was considerably inland, but the exact line is not revealed for security reasons. Reports from Axis sources say the British and German forces are locked in a terrific struggle north-west of Salerno. Allied warships have again approached the coast and are supporting the land forces with, heavy naval guns. EX-DUCE'S APPEAL Rec. 10.30 a.m. LONDON, Sept. 26. According to Berlin radio, Mussolini, appealing to Italian troops, said. "I know you will gather around roe. It is better to meet a glorious end on the battlefield than to live as traitors." „ . . . , The Republican Fascist party decreed the extension of compulsoiy labour in German-occupied Italy to Italians aged 18 to 23 years.