KEY JUNCTION CAPTURED

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 85, 7 October 1943, Page 5

KEY JUNCTION CAPTURED

(U.P.A. and 8.0. W.) / Rec. 11.20 a.m. LONDON, October 6. American troops have pierced the German line on the Volturno River and at one point have cross.cd the river. The Allies have captured the key transport junctions of Aversa and - Maddaloni. Aversa is on the main road from Naples to Rome, and Maddaloni is 14 miles north-east of Naples, on the direct route from Benevehto to Capua. With vanguards of the Fifth Army across the Volturno, a new phase of the operations in Italy opens. The battle for Naples has ended, and the battle for Rome has begun. It is just 100 miles to Rome ii^ a direct line from Volturno.

The crossing of the river was a major success in view of the stiff German resistance. Advanced forces of the Fifth Army who crossed i the Galore River apparently slipped round or through the Germans' defences on the Volturno. The Fifth Army also clipped off eight, miles from the road to Rome by the capture of Aversa and Maddaloni. Moreover, our line in this sector has JDeen straightened out to one running almost, due west from Aversa to the coast. Non-stop Allied air attacks are hampering the German retreat from the Volturno line. Fighters and fighterbombers, operating from newly-won airfields, are pounding the roads behind the enemy and strafing his troop concentrations and transport columns. The Eighth Army is now meeting with the fiercest resistance since the crossing, of the Straits of Messina. German infantry, supported by tanks, counter-attacked against units of the Eighth Army west of Termoli. This battle has now spread along the Biferno River, with the British standing firm against the enemy thrusts. British 25-pounders are in action in the fighting along the line of the Biferno. It is not stated how far along the line of the Biferno General Montgomery's men are consolidated.

When a British landing party went ashore at Termoli last Sunday they captured .Major Rail, commander of all the German forces along the Adriatic coast. Major Rau was found in bed. ~ . The German news agency states that British warships and* guns' are supporting the Eighth Army forces at Termoli. "The landing forces were thrown back yesterday still farther behind the hills on the fringe of the town, 'it states. "Shellfire from light British naval forces was unable to loosen the iron ring which confines the other British troops to the shore. 9e^ ma? fighter-bombers have attacked fresh British landings." The news agency claims that two 1500-tonfully-laden landing craft grounded after being, hit by bombs, and that three smaller landing barges capsized. 'GERMAN ANXIETY. The Germans are most anxious about the speed of the Allied advances, says Reuters. correspondent with the Eighth Army. Field Marshal Kesselring has ordered his troops to "hold on or die" as the only alternative to a general withdrawal to Rome. ' . The Fifth Army is continuing to make progress against stiffening opposition with hindrance demolitions, craters, and mines,on the route of ad-j vance, says a North Africa land com-j munique. The bringing forward of supplies and repairs is proceeding rapidly. The Eighth Army is in contact with enemy forces west of Termoli. and on the general line of the River Biferno. Heavy fighting is re,ported. , ■ An air communique says that on October 5 heavy bombers attacked the Bolzano marshalling yards, hitting railroad shops and an oil depot, and causing several explosions. Strong enemy opposition was encountered. Medium bombers made attacks on highways and bridges at Formia, Isernia, and Migano. Fighters and fighter-bombers have maintained patrols over the battle area, attacking motor concentrations and trains. During these and other operations 15 enemy aircraft were destroyed. Six of our planes are missing. Nieht bombers attacked Grosseto last "night, causing several large fires and explosions.

A correspondent at Allied headquarters says that in both coastal sectors and in the centre the Allied troops are .meeting with stiffening German resistance and any advance is likely to be slow. He adds: "This is particularly true of the Fifth Army sector, where we are meeting with most satanic delaying devices and where our infantry, after most bitter fighting, are dislodging the enemy from well-organ-ised strongpoints. The Germans have taken every advantage of orchards, rocks, walls, and small watercourses to establish -themselves and conduct delaying actions. Nevertheless, our progress is steady, if slow."

SCOPE FOR DELAYING ACTIONS

Algiers radio states: "German forces, under pressure by Allied troops from the south-west and harassed by Allied planes, are retreating deep into the heart of the mountains in central Italy. Their sole object now appears to be to delay the Allied advance in order to enable Rommel to organise his line of resistance."

It is most probable that the enemy is consolidating himself in high ground on the Volturno, which he cannot hope to hold indefinitely but which will give him ample scope for delaying actions, a correspondent writes. The Volturno in its lower reaches is about 100 feet wide, with six feet of water running in it at this season. The banks are not steep, and the river has silted up so that in places it is almost fordable. Unfortunately, the sand-banks do not coincide with the road approaches, and can only be reached across muddy, ploughed fields. AH the bridges except one were blown up some days ago, and the Germans are unlikely to leave the remaining one intact. , AnyAllied efforts to bridge the river will have to be carried out under directed enemy fire.