15 MILES FROM BOLOGNA

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24371, 25 September 1944, Page 5

15 MILES FROM BOLOGNA

American Troops Of sth Army BTH ARMY BEYOND RIMINI (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 24. American troops of the sth Army in Italy are now 15 miles from the city of Bologna. On the Adriatic sector the Bth Army is across the Marecchia river on a wide front, and is well to 'the north of the coastal town of Rimini. The communique from Allied Headquarters says that the Allied forces have forced the enemy to abandon the whole of his prepared positions in the Gothic Line except in the sector west of the Futa Pass. The American troops of the sth Army have exploited their break through of the Gothic Line north of Firenzuola and have seized important mountain features. On the right flank British and Indian troops are closing in on Palazzuolo. „ it . Advanced troops of the Bth Army are meeting strong German resistance outside a small town to the north of Rimini. The Germans have been coun-ter-attacking strongly, but without result. “The Allied armies in Italy continue to make important progress both on the central and Adriatic sectors,” says a Mediterranean communique. “The sth Army has kept up’ the pressure in the Firenzuola area and occupied important high ground north of this town.

“West of Firenzuola American troops of the sth Army have widened the breach in the Gothic Line by capturing Monte Citerna and Monte Ternolao, and are now on the threshold of the Futa Pass. “On the Adriatic sector troops of the Bth Army have cleared all resistance south of the River Marecchia and have considerably enlarged their bridgehead north of this river. “Allied aircraft on Friday flew approximately 1600 sorties embracing targets in southern Germany, northern Greece, and Italy. Seventeen aircraft are missing.” . , • .“Fifth Army troops advancing along the main coastal road have reached Pietra Santa, nearly half-way between

Pisa and Spezia,” says Reuter’s Rome correspondent. “The German forces in the Futa Pass, according to Allied Headquarters have become disorganised to a limited extent. “Rimini on the Bth Army front is now completely mopped up and prisoners continue to stream in.’’ The Exchange Telegraph Agency correspondent in Italy says: “Our bridgehead over the Marecchia river is about three miles' inland from Rimini. The German parachute divisions suffered heavier losses in this fighting than at Cassino. The Allied troops have encountered 12 German divisions, of which 11 are so badly cut up that some have been reduced to half strength.. There are no further natural obstacles in the path of the Bth Army.” Mitchells which attacked the Spezia naval base on Saturday heavily hit the Italian cruiser Taranto. She was burning when the bombers turned for home. “The Germans are trying to block the harbour at the Spezia naval base, which is now only a few miles from the Allied positions,” says the British United Press correspondent in Italy. “The Germans have placed the cruiser Taranto to block the harbour." Liberators of ihe Mediterranean Air Force on Thursday made a return flight of more than 1700 miles to- Warsaw where they dropped supplies of arms. Between 500 and 750 heavy bombers from Italy on Friday struck at targets in Munich and also the railway yards at Larissa in Greece. Intense flak was encountered, but no fighters. _ The Republic of San Marino has declared war against Germany, and the republic’s 900 troops have been sent into action against the Germans, who were recently reported to be using San Marino as a base, states the Rome radio. . , “The inhabitants of San Marino, just south-west of Rimini, to-day thronged the lofty battlements of the town to watch the battle raging between them and the sea along the river Marecchia, the wide sweep- of which is visible from the town,” says a correspondent with the Bth Army. “Civilian casualties in San Marino total about 200 for the last three days." ITALY’S FUTURE ALLIED DJSCUSSIONS AT QUEBEC (BOW.) RUGBY, Sept. 22. Mr Roosevelt to-day discussed some secondary subjects raised at the Quebec conference for the first time since his return to Washington. He said that he and Mr Churchill had devoted a great deal of time to Italy. They had discussed the question of all parties sharing the responsibility for governing the country and its reconstruction. Mr Roosevelt added that an announcement would be made shortly regarding plans to keep the Italian people from starving and freezing this winter. ’ They had talked much about the future of Germany, but there could be no news of this phase of the discussions cit present. Mr Roosevelt said that the Chinese situation was not satisfactory from a military point of view. American officials were working closely with Marshal Chiang Kai-shek. He also expressed satisfaction with the progress being made in the threePower post-war security talks at Dumbarton Oaks, saying that the achievement of 90 per cent, agreement was a good average. It is understood in London that complete agreement has been reached on many points, but not yet to the extent that the detailed plans for the post-war world organisation can be announced. The conference there may complete its labours next week. FASCIST POLICE CHIEF SHOT LONDON. Sept. 22. Journalists to-day witnessed the execution of the former Fascist police chief of Rome. Pietro Caruso, who was shot while sitting in a chair with his back to a firing squad. He was sentenced to death for collaboration with the Germans and for handing men over to German execution squads.