ALLIES POSH AHEAD ON ITALIAN FRONTS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 269, 12 November 1943, Page 3

ALLIES POSH AHEAD ON ITALIAN FRONTS

IMPORTANT MOVES Two Armies Converging In Drive On Rome N.Z.P.A. and British Wireless Rec. 12.30 p.m. LONDON, Nov. 11. The Eighth Army has pushed forward elements across the Sangro River in one sector and is also driving through the snow down the Apennine defiles along the main mid-Italy road north of Isernia. say dispatches from the front. General Montgomery's left wing, after a fivemile advance, has driven a deep salient into the central front. The powerful thrust in the Apennines, is reported to be cleaving the German front apart. Spearheads are now less than 30 miles from the Rome-Pescara motor highway, which is a lateral lifeline behind the German lines. The main mid-Italy road, which the Eighth Army drive is pivoting, bypasses Rome. Fifth Army units advancing to converge with the Eighth Army on the mid-Italy road are operating in mountain paths. They are clearing the Germans from heights covering the inland route to Rome. The Fifth Army, as the Eighth Army advanced to capture Rionero, two and a half miles north-west of Forli. made a simultaneous advance beyond Venafro, occupying Colli on a secondary hill road two miles northwest of Fornelli. Reuters correspondent at Allied headquarters says this Fifth Army drive, like that which the Eighth Army is making, threatens the whole German position. German opposition is still strong, but, probably as a result of earlier losses, the scale of counter-attacks is appreciably smaller. Algiers radio says the Fifth Army, advancing along the road to Rome between Mignano and Cassino, through the most formidable fortifications and demolitions yet encountered, has encircled the fortified town of Cassino. the keynote of the German line. Cassino, which is 12 miles west of Venafro, is an important road junction on the Naples-Rome highway.

Algiers radio also stated that the I Fifth Army stormed and captured two mountains north-west and south-west of Mignano. Eighth Army tanks in a further advance completely isolated Agnone on the Isernia-Vasto road, reports Algiers radio. According to Rome | radio very bitter fighting is going on j along the Upper Volturno area,; where Americans at several points made some penetrations of the German lines. A big defensive battle is going on west of Volturno. with the enemy continually attacking in an attempt > to crack the new German defence i line, and open the way to Rome. The ! Americans have thrown big guns into action. "Along the Fifth Army front j enemy resistance is stiff," says the ; North Africa communique, "and: many small counter-attacks were; launched against our troops. All were repulsed. Further important ] heights were captured. "Very bad weather conditions pre-! vail on the Eighth Army front. Snow j is falling in the high mountain j areas." i A war .correspondent states: "It is I specially announced from Allied) headquarters that the Eighth Army captured Roccassicura, Rionero and Casatanguida. The Fifth Army captured Colli and Mondazzo." HARBOUR AND RAILWAY LEGHORN, BRENNER BLOCKED Rec. 12.30. LONDON, Nov. 11. It is reported from Algiers that the Germans scuttled the cruiser Quanto. probably blocking Leghorn i harbour. A merchantman was apparently scuttled in the outer harbour entrance. An air raid against Bolzano is believed to have blocked the Brenner bottleneck.