GAINS IN ITALY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 82, 7 April 1945, Page 6

GAINS IN ITALY

SURPRISE ATTACKS

Allies Preparing Way For Big Offensive N.Z.P.A- and British Wireless Rec. 2.30 p.m. LONDON, April 6. The., Exchange Telegraph correspondent says that the Fifth Army, attacking from positions in Massa and Azza'na, through a mountainous terrain, eight miles from the west coast, early yesterday morning launched a surprise attack and advanced nearly two miles in a northwesterly direction. Massa, a city near the west coast, is being outflanked.

The main advance was from Azzana to about five miles west of Massa. The troops taking part in this forward push have already outflanked the 3000 ft Monte Folgoritos, which dominates the area. Resistance is stiffening, and there is heavy fighting.

Reuters correspondent says Fifth Army ' troops pushed forward two miles in the first 24 hours in their new offensive south of Massa. The four islands occupied in the middle of Lake Comacchio, although small, contain army buildings from which excellent observation of all Allied movements could be secured. This is the first amphibious operation'by the Eighth Army in Italy, but there is no indication whether our forces met much opposition. Although the positions taken on the east and west coasts of Italy are of great importance, they are not expected to be part of a major offensive, but possibly a drive to prepare the way. Just now it is more a battle of manoeuvring, for the positions near the west coast could both secure our left flank and give our forces a firm base, which would open up many possibilities. Eighth Army troops control almost all of the eight miles of sandspit between Lake Comacchio and the Adriatic. The men who made the successful landings here were British Commandos, including Royal Marine Commandos.

The Mediterranean air communique states that the Allies yesterday flew more than 3000 sorties, destroying 20 groundsd enemy aircraft, for the loss of nine Allied planes, including one heavy bomber.