MORE AGGRESSIVE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 65, 17 March 1945, Page 5

MORE AGGRESSIVE

Germans Attacking On Adriatic Front ACTIVITY NEAR VERGATO N.Z.P.A. and British Wifeless Rec. 11.30 a.m. RUGBY, March 16. There has been increased activity in the Vergato area, about 18 miles south-west of Bologna, where American troops occupied Serra,' a small hamlet half a mile east of the Reno River, cables a Rome correspondent. Serra is about two miles north-east of Vergato, where the Germans are still holding out. After the capture of Serra, which took place at night, our troops rushed to the west to Salvaro, where they met strong resistance from small arms and machine-guns. The Germans became very aggressive during the night, and strong forces attacked our positions in the vicinity of San Martino,about four miles north-east of Vergato. They were repulsed after an artillery duel. West of the Reno River one of our raiding parties penetrated deep into enemy territory north of Monte Belvedere, and destroyed a quantity of equipment and ammunition. Kesselring's. troops, patrolling aggressively on the spit of land between the Adriatic and Valli di Comacchio, clashed with Eighth Army patrols. There was reconnaissance activity along the whole front