FALL OF SALERNO

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 64, 13 September 1943, Page 5

FALL OF SALERNO

EFFORT TO CUT OFF ENEMY (By Telegraph— Pres« Association—-Copyri«!"••' ■■ ■ • LONDON, September 11. The Allies now hold Salerue, and are trying to cut off the Germans in the south of Italy by occupying a line running from Salerno to Potenza and thence to Taranto. Unconfirmed reports frbm Zurich say that Allied forces are advancing towards Rome t'rom Ostia, which is on the coast near the capital. New Allied landings near Salerno are reported and, according to a message from Switzerland, an Allied convoy which* was previously reported to be en route to Albania changed course and put into Brindisi, where it is disembarking troops. A land and naval battle between German tanks and Allied ships marked the early stages of the battle for Salerno, according to - reports from Algiers. The British encountered only slight resistance in the initial stages Df the landing, but the Americans met With savage resistance from the outSet. Fierce fighting occurred on the beaches on Thursday, and the Navy went in Close to the shore to give accurate fire as requested by the landinggarties. The naval gunners broke up •erman tank attacks and returned-the fire of the enemy artillery, enabling the Fifth Army to secure beach-heads and to progress steadily inland. The Allied air forces all day yesterday battered key communication points in the Naples battle zone in one bi the most intensive aerial assaults df the War. They continuously bombed and strafed railways, roads, and bridges in a 60-mile arc round Naples In order to prevent the Germans from obtaining reinforcements for use against the Fifth Army's bridgehead.

on fighting. .The desire of the majority was to §o back to their homes and resume family life, but there might be a small fretful minority.

FIGHT IN A GORGE,

When the Germans fled from Salerno to avoid being trapped they tried to secure the road to Naples where it passes through a mountain gorge, reports a Press correspondent writing from the front yesterday. But by this time Allied troops with mortars and light anti-tank guns had entrenched themselves on either side of the road. They withstood German attacks until about noon yesterday, when a heavier attack by 500 Germans and 20 tanks succeeded in pushing them off the eastern side of the road. We immediately counter-attacked, and troops were sent to reinforce them and won the height back" again. , In the air the Germans have been active at night. They made the beaches and ships the main targets, and in moonlight were constantly overhead. They are benefiting at the * ■ ■