FIGHTING IN ITALY

Dominion, Volume 38, Issue 138, 8 March 1945, Page 7

FIGHTING IN ITALY

Considerable German Troop

Movements LONDON, .March 6. With the Fifth Army’s local offensive south-west of Bologna now in the third week and still going strong, Kesselring seems to be taking new measures the intention of which is not yet clear, says Reuter’s correspondent at Allied headquarters in Italy. Considerable German troop movements have been observed in the Germans’ rear, with traffic moving along the main highway which links Bologna to the east with Faenza and to the west witli Modena and Milan. Whatever Kesselring is planning, the correspondent says, the Germas are fighting hard to hold their positions south-west and south of Bologna. American troops of the Fifth Army, driving down the upper Reno Valley gained more than half a mile south ot’ Sasso, 12 miles south of Bologna. They occupied vital territory which was previously controlled by our artillery, and patrols of the Fifth Army met thick minefields and numerous booby-traps. The Allied communique from Italy says that American and Brazilian troops on the central sector of the Fifth Army front continued to improve their positions. There was no change on the remainder of the front.

RIOTERS ATTACK PALACE

Anger At Roatta’s Escape ROME, March 6. A crowd of several thousand, after demonstrating in the Colosseum against the escape of General Roatta, who was to be tried as a war criminal, attacked the Qttirinal, the Italian Royal Palace, now the residence of Prince Umberto. One woman wits killed and several people wounded. The angry mob surged around the Qttirinal waving red flags. A handgrenade exploded while mounted carabinieri were trying to clear the square. Two bombs exploded in front of the palace. Police fired 30 or 4(J shots, but they were mostly in the air. Shouts of “Death to the King I” “Death to Umberto!” “Down with the House of Savoy I” “Death to Roatta I” preceded the throwing of the bomb, which came from the crowd.

British and American military police arrived at the Quirinul during (he firing, but did not interfere, in accordance with the Allied policy of maintaining a strictly impartial attitude in Italian affairs. Another mob of demonstrators tried to enter Signor Bonomi’s office at the Ministry of the Interior. Between 600 and 700 demonstrators, led by a group of Italian soldiers, advanced on the buildings, where at least 400 carabinieri stood impassively with rifles at the ready. A one-legged soldier on crutches was in front of (he crowd, flanked by several soldiers carrying rod flags. Tl7e crowd, realizing that the carabinieri intended to shoot, stopped advancing, and, by way of protest, smashed the signs they were carrying and threw the pieces at the building. An Italian Government communique says that one Italian was killed ami two Allied soldiers and one Italian policeman injured in the riot. Signor Bonomi told a deputation of demonstrators demanding his resignation that be would face the question of responsibility at today’s Cabinet. There is no confirmation of the Exchange Telegraph report, that General Roatta is taking refuge in the Vatican.

TO COM BAT CRISIS

LONDON, March 6.

The Italian Government, in an urgent measure apparently to combat the political crisis arising out of the escape of General Roafta, dismissed Taddo Orlando, chief of the Carabinieri and a former member of General Roatta’s staff, says the Rome correspondent of the Associated Press of Groat Britain. Heavily armed carabinieri patrolled the streets today and work was suspended this afternoon for a mass protest meeting, sponsored by Communists and Socialists in Colosseum Square.