BRENNER ROUTE ATTACKED

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 2, 28 September 1943, Page 5

BRENNER ROUTE ATTACKED

Flying Fortresses And

Guerrillas

LONDON, September 26. Strong bands of Italian partisans are concentrating attacks against the Bren-' ner Pass railway, says the Zurich correspondent of the Stockholm newspaper “Dagens Nyheter.” This line, which is one of the main routes for the reinforcement of the German forces in Italy, lias been hammered at three points by Flying Fortresses during the weekend, says the Algiers correspondent of the British United Press. The main weight of the bomber attacks fell on Bolzano, Verona and Bologna. Verona, which was the scene of the last meeting' in Italy between Herr Hitler and Signor Mussolini, is now reported to be Marshal Rommel’s headquarters. Bolzano is a bottleneck in the German communication lines through which the main flow of supplies is passing. If the .line were blocked even briefly it would be a heavy blow against Rommel’s chances of holding up the Allied advance. Deadly Calm in Naples. Naples is as dead as Pompeii, says a British United Press correspondent who flew over the city in. a Mitchell bomber. He adds: “The Mitchell came in low over hit. Vesuvius and circled _ round the city, but there was no anti-aircraft fire and no lighter opposition. There was no sign of traffic or smoke from chimn.eys, but great clouds of smoke from burning oil refineries south-east of the city. “Everything in the harbour had been flattened, either by bombs or Gerufan demolition squads, but in the town area there is apparently little damage. There were nine ships in the harbour, three of which were lying on their sides, the six others listing heavily. “The lack of any signs of life in the city suggests either that the city has been ■ evacuated or that a curfew has been imposed by the Germans.” According to Berlin radio, Mussolini, in an appeal to the Italian troops, said: “I know you will gather round me; It is better to meet a glorious ehd -on the battlefield than to live as traitors ” . The Republican Fascist Party has issued a decree extending compulsory labour in German-occupied Italy to Italians between the ages of 18 and 23.