Battle For Naples

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 70, 20 September 1943, Page 5

Battle For Naples

(By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.) Rec. 11.30 a.m. LONDON, September, 19. The battle for Naples is about to begin. Algiers radio says that the Eighth Army has taken up positions for a large-scale offensive. Powerful reinforcements continue to pour into the Salerno bridgehead.

The Fifth Army is continuing: its methodical advance.^ The Germans hold strong- positions outside Salerno, and Allied military; circles expect a tough fight for Naples.

Front line dispatches say that the Allies are forcing the Germans back along the entire line in Italy.

The Allied front is now continuous across southern Italy from coast to coast. The Fifth Army, with its left flank pivoting on Salerno, is swinging through the Salerno plain and steadily extending its front. Patrols in some inland areas have failed to make contact with the Germans, 'but there is no sign of a precipitate German withdrawal. Allied guns and planes are pounding long transport columns moving northwards, apparently to the Nocera gap, on the road to Naples. Algiers radio says that Allied motorised forces on the Adriatic coast are rapidly progressing towards Foggia. The column is being supplied from Brindisi, where supplies are being landed without interruption.

Numerous Italian airfields are now in Allied hands. The Allies are using airfields in the Salerno area, including Montecorvino airfield. Allied headquarters states officially that the German air opposition to the Allies' non-stop onslaught is practically negligible. Reports from La Linea (Spain) state that three convoys, totalling over 100 freighters and tankers, passed from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean yester-

traffic between Germany and Italy is interrupted at many points, and there is. now no rail, communication between Field-Marshals Rommel and Kesselring.^ '. The Swiss newspaper ."Bund" says that small Italian units are still fighting against the Germans in the neighbourhood of Rome. Food riots in Rome continue. Armed peasants are resisting the Germans. The Swiss radio reports that the com-* mander of the German occupation forces in Italy has issued a final warning to Italians "who might want to attempt to disturb public order and create nests of agitation." Pilots returning to Cairo from raids on Italy report long lines of stranded trains in all parts of Italy, following hea"vy damage to railway yards and in- -> stallations. An indication of the intensity of the air attacks on Italy is that the Ninth United States. Air Force has made eight attacks in the last ten days, compared with a normal average of one raid in every three days. In addition to attacks on Germanheld airfields and communications in Italy, Middle East bombers yesterday attacked the airfield at Manitza, in the island of Rhodes. During yesterday's operations in the % eastern Mediterranean five Junkers 88's arid two Me. 109's were shot down. Three Middle East aircraft did not return.

day. German planes reported great Allied transport armadas moving eastwards from the western Mediterranean. Today's German communique says: "The heavy battles after the Salerno landings have not given the British and the Americans their expected strategic success. . They have not succeeded in cutting off the German divisions stationed in southern Italy. Our troops, fighting greatly numerically superior forces, have prevented the enemy extending his bridgehead. By counter-attacks, despite heavy naval gunfire, we have pressed the enemy back with heavy casualties to a narrow coastal strip. With the Germans in the Salerno area, the Anglo-American operational plan, based on Badoglio s betrayal, has thus been completely *oiled-" - . ■_ . +v The communique claims that tne Germans killed and wounded over 10,000 British and Americans, and took 4429 prisoners, and destroyed or captured 153 tanks. The Luftwaffe and the navy, operating against the Allied landing fleet between September 8 and--17, sank three cruisers, two destroyers, one torpedo-boat, nine transports, and 15 landing barges, and in addition damaged 125 merchantmen, nine tankers, nine landing barges, and one patrol-boat.