STEADY ADVANCE IN ITALY

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24368, 21 September 1944, Page 5

STEADY ADVANCE IN ITALY

Assault of Gothic Line Positions savage Lighting NEAR RIMINI (N.Z, Press Assoclattorv-Copyrlght) (B& 18.5 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 80. “Days of hard and bitter fighting on the Italian .front have won important gains of heights north-east of Florence within the Gothic Line,.’' says the correspondent of “The Times” in 'ltaly. “The Germans have heavily fortified their heights with concrete pillboxes and dug-in positions extended to the crest, American, troops, in the toilsome progress across rugged mountain masses, had to overcome resistance from veteran German troops equipped with all arms and supporting weapons. There were emplacements with tank turret tops and enemy positions elaborately protected with high barbedwire. The Germans, in one concentration of artillery fire, loosed 2000 shells, a tribute rightly paid to the British and Indian forces of the sth Army for the brilliant flanking movement materially contributing to the capture of the heights." “The Royal Navy on Monday again bombarded positions and batteries in the Rimini area," says a correspondent. “H.M-S. Lookout fired more than 200 rounds. Return fire from the shore caused no damage or casualties, and excellent results are reported by the Navy." “The Bth Army has made new advances on the Adriatic coastal front,” says Reuter's correspondent. “Greek troops have driven across the Rimini airfield and Reached the northern edge, in spite of the Germans' use of dug-ui Panther tanks. ' Savage fighting 14 going on round the airport. The Canadians are at the Ausa river line, three miles south-west ai Rimini, where German tanks and infantry are conducting a bitter river-bank defence. “The British, who- crossed .the San Marino frontier have established a bridgehead across the Marano river and advanced a mile towards the state’s capita] against German countersttscks “Fifth Army forces, helped by flanking movements by British and Indian troops, have captured, three dominating features ' well within the Gothic defences—the 3300 ft high Monte Pratone, 21 miles north-west of Florence, Monte Aluzzo, two miles and a half to the westward, and Monte Cell!, about a mile north-west of Monte Aluzzo. The fighting for these features has been as bitter as any of the Italian campaigns.” . A correspondent In Rome says medium and flghter-bombers during Monday dropped more , than 1000 tons of bombs on the ,Rimini defences. In a five minutes’ raid on Monday night more than 300. tons bf bombs were dropped on an area about three miles by one mile north-west of the town, where the enemy had concentrated men and supplies. Heavy bombers on Monday successfully attacked railway bridges and other targets in the Budapest and Belgrade areas. TIRPITZ BOMBED BATTLESHIP LYING IN FJORD LONDON, Sept. 19. “Soon after noon last Friday a force of Lancasters of the Royal Air Force Bomber Command, without fighter cover and without loss, made a surprise attack with 12,0001b bombs on the German battleship Tirpitz, which is lying in a Norwegian fjord,” says the Air Ministry. “Visibility was excellent, but because of the intense smokescreen, it was difficult to assess the result of the bombing.!’It is thought that the Germans probably believed the battleship was out of range of lapd-based attacks. A pilot of one of the first Lancasters to arrive over the fjord saw the battleship and gave the signal to the other aircraft. Almost immediately the Germans began to put up a heavy smokescreen. Guns round the shores of the fjord opened up. but the Lancasters went in low to press home the attack, They bad no time to worry about flak, Although the thick white smokescreen made it difficult to observe results, many pilots say that they saw red and brown smoke coming up through the white smokescreen, while there was a red glow which was larger than would have been made by a 12,0001b bomb hitting the water. Airmen who took part said that the smokescreen appeared to have been built on the land surrounding the fjord, and as the Lancasters approached the crews could see smoke spurting from the pipes. MORE FLYING BOMBS SEVERAL KILLED IN ATTACKS (Rec. 11.30 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 20. Flying bombs were over- the southern counties, including the London area, soon after midnight. They caused casualties and damage. Children who had just returned after being evacuated and adults who were sleeping in their homes instead of shelters were among the victims of flying bombs which were launched early yesterday against southern England, including the London area. Some were killed and others were seriously injured. It is feared that nine lives were lost in one incident and four in another. The anti-aircraft- gunners put up a heavy barrage and they claimed to have shot down two of the few bombs sent over The action lasted less than 20 minutes. Rescuers working two hours after a house was destroyed heard a child crying and found a small girl alive in the arms of her dead mother. She was the only one alive of the family. Her father, two sisters, and baby brother had been killed. The mother on September 15 brought the children back from evacuation, _ _ , 1