RAPID ADVANCE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 126, 30 May 1944, Page 6

RAPID ADVANCE

N.Z. TROOPS IN ITALY

GERMANS HARD PRESSED

(N.Z.E.F. Official War Correspondent) NEAR ATA, May 28.

Away back in the hills behind Monte Cairo there is a great stream of New Zealand infantry, artillery, tanks, engineers and every other essential, chasing the hard-pressed Germans from the vantage points which they have occupied for many months. "Most of these have been gun positions among the heights dominating the approaches to the Liri Valley. The New Zealanders advancing up the steep-sided valley are carrying on some miles across the Melfa River, which flows down into the Liri Vallev. The valley up which the New Zealanders advanced has been subjected to much shelling in the past and destroyed transport, mostly French, lies on the roadside. Dead mules have not yet been buried.

You pass Terelle and Belmonte, both much shell-torn and almost deserted, and in the dust-laden air bounce over the shell-shattered road to the heights above Atina. There is a German cemetery nearby with many dozens of graves. This afternoon the township of Atina and the road beyond were being shelled, but New Zealand guns had already been brought into position to reply. It seemed that while establishing a new gun line the enemy was making much use of machine-guns, the noise of which was incessant between that of shell bursts. The engineers have had a busy time clearing the roads of mines and filling in shell holes. Demolitions have been extensive. Such has been the speed of the New Zealand advance that groups of Germans have been caught unawares and taken without resistance.