HARD FIGHTING IN ITALY

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24306, 11 July 1944, Page 5

HARD FIGHTING IN ITALY

sth Army Continues Advance VOLTERRA TAKEN BY ALLIES (N.Z Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDON, July 10. “Hard fighting continues all along the front of the Allied armies in Italy,” says to-day’s communique from General Sir Harold Alexander’s headquarters. “Fifth Army troops have driven a significant wedge into the enemy position between the sea and Poggibonsi, have captured Volterra and have driven some four miles north of the town. “The front line south-west of Arezzo remains virtually unchanged. Two enemy counter-attacks have been repelled. Eighth Army troops east of Arezzo have gained ground and the leading elements are now some eight miles north-east of Umbertide. “East of Filotranto on the Adriatic sector advances have been made to the Musone river and counter-attacks north-west of Isomo have again been repulsed.” Volterra, an important communication centre, fell on Sunday after fighting round the perimeter. The Germans evacuated it as the Allies closed in, but not before offering stiff resistance with smalharms fire. “The stage is set for the battle for the two Italian ports of and Ancona,” states the correspondent of the British United Press al Allied Headquarters in Italy. “Fifth Army troops on the west coast, advancing towards Leghorn, are fighting some of the most desperate battles since Cassino. “The Germans qre bringing up more and more reinforcements to make a stand on a line running from south of Leghorn to Poggibonsi. They have switched the 26th Panzer Division from the interior to the Leghorn front and the 90th Panzer Grenadier Divi-

sion from the Siena sector to the area of Volterra, which the sth Army captured to-day. Hand-to-hand street fighting is going on in every town and village on the sth Army front. “Eighth Army advanced troops are within five miles of Ancona harbour, and the battle for the town is imminent." , . ... Reuter’s correspondent states that the Bth Army, like the sth Army, is meeting a determined resistance. A furious battle is going on for the crest of Monte Castiglione, six miles south ' of Arezzo. The Germans yesterday put in three savage counter-attacks. Every Bth Army, move in this area brings down a storm of enemy fire. An i American broadcaster, speaking from Rome, said that the German divisions are fighting with a desperation which has not been seen since Cassmo. The Italian Government will move to Rome from Salerno next Saturday. Prince Umberto and the headquarters of thp Allied Control Commission win. move at the same time. . ■ The rounding up of Fascists in Rome continues. One hundred and fifty newspapermen have been struck off™ 6 membership list of the Rome Newspaper Guild. _

•AEGEAN HARBOURS BOMBED

(BOW) RUGBY. July 9. “Spitfires of the Middle East Command escorting bombers in _an attack on Maleihe aerodrome in Crete destroyed two of eight Messerschmitt lo9’s which attempted to intercept them" says a communique. Both crashed in the sea. “Khios harbour in the Aegean was bombed, on Friday night. An enemy supply vessel was set on fire in the eastern Aegean and three others were damaged.'Preveza harbour ,in western Greece was bombed and hits wfere scored on the quay. Rhodes .harbour was bombed last night. No aircraft are missing." MURDER OF 1000 GREEKS VILLAGE WIPED OUT BY GERMANS (Rec. 10 p.m.) NEW YORK. July 10. “German troops have burned the Greek village of Distoma after murdering its 1000 inhabitants, says the Istanbul correspondent of the Associated Press of America. ‘The murders were a reprisal for the deaths of 30 German soldiers. “A Greek puppet government communique which reached the Turkish authorities says: -‘German soldiers were killed in fighting with Greek guerrillas on June 10. ( Not even bahies in arms were spared.’

WORLD MONETARY CONFERENCE

HOPE OF AMICABLE AGREEMENT PLAN TO DEAL WITH AXIS LEADERS NEW YORK, July 9. “The United States Secretary of State (Mr Henry L. Morgenthau) expressed confidence that the Monetary Conference would conclude .with a successful agreement, amicable and fair to au, before its scheduled closing dale on July 20,” says the correspondent of the “New York Times" at Bretton Woods. "Mr Morgenthau added that this was true of both the main proposals for the international fund and the international bank for reconstruction and development. “Mr Morgenthau expressed the opinion that the problems relative to the national quotas in the monetary fund, of the initial gold subscriptions of invaded nations, and of scarce currencies were not insurmountable. “It is authoritatively stated that there is no change in the controversy over quotas. The British and American delegations are still waiting to hear whether the Russians are satisfied with a compromise which would raise their quota from 8,000.000,000 dollars to 12,000,000,000 dollars. This would increase the Russians’ voting power in the fund’s management ana their ability to draw foreign exchange with which to make post-war purchases of. goods from foreign countries. It would still leave the Russians third in voting strength to the United States. “A special committee has been appointed by the Monetary Conference to devise ways and means of preventing Axis leaders and war criminals fleeing to neutral countries to live at ease. Among the methods considered will be the powers of the international fund and the world bank to bring economic pressure against neutrals for that purpose. There is a possibility that the conference may bar neutrals from participation in both organisations unless they co-operate in a movement to quarantine Axis leaders from their lootedngains."