RAIN-DRENCHED TROOPS

Dominion, Volume 38, Issue 22, 20 October 1944, Page 5

RAIN-DRENCHED TROOPS

New Zealand Advance GERMANS THROWN BACK

(Official War Correspondent, N.Z.E.F.) GAMBETTOLA, October 17.

Rain has completely changed the aspect of things on the Eighth Army front. It started this afternoon after a fine morning and. ever since has been falling persistently without a trace of wind. The dust has turned to mud, which sprays from the wheels of vehicles into the faces of passing men. This afternoon I saw infantry moving ing forward near Gambettola with rain dripping in streams from their tin hats. Past them churned trucks, jeeps and guns which could move only by clinging to the centre of the meagre, muddy, track. The drivers were as careful as possible, but they had troubles of their own with their vehicles skating crazily on the ice-like surface and the infantrymen caught their share of the flying mud. Yet there has been prograss since yesterday, when incipient counter-attacks on our troops bepond Gambettola were broken up by artillery. This morning after a heavy concentration of artillery fire on the little village of Ruflio the infantry and tanks went in on the town. There was little, serious resistance, though before the guns did their work it was known that Ruffiio was strongly held. Its possession puts us on the junction of two secondary- roads, only three miles east of Cesena. Next Water Barrier. Progress continued in spite of the change in the weather and by nightfall our line conformed roughly with that of the next water barrier —Pisciatella River. In a steady ad,vance across the Rigasso Canal and up to the Pisciatella one brigade has taken over 100 prisoners, while enemy casualties in killed have been heavy. Our own losses have been extraordinarily light, considering the number of the enemy and the type of country. One of the highlights of the advance was provided by the quick work of an engineer officer. He and a tank commander were walking forward dh a reconnaissance near Ruffio. As they were crossing a culvert he scented a familiar burning smell. Tic dived into the culvert just in time to extinguish a burning fuse: There was enough explosive under the culvert to have blown an 80-ft. crater in the road.