WESTWARD PUSH

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 127, 31 May 1944, Page 6

WESTWARD PUSH

N.Z. FORCES

ATINA TO ARCE

(Official War Correspondent N.Z.E.F.) ATINA, May 29.

Sweeping across the Smela River after the. advance from the mountains north of Cassino, New Zealand troops have occupied most of the wide plain which leads into the Liri Valley. After the occupation of Atina, New Zealand engineers last night'. threw a bridge across the river, and supporting arms are pouring down into the plain to the assistance of the forward elements. This morning our troops dominated almost the entire valley and were pressing forward to clear the towns of Vicalvi and Alyito. From Atina the road trends north-west to the important junction of Sora. Vicalvi bars the passage some six miles from Atina, like a miniature Monastery Hill. From the pass above Atin§ the whole panorama of the battle unfolds. Yesterday I watched the first German shells falling on the road below Atina, showing that the enemy had established some sort of artillery line after his precipitate retreat from Terelle and Belmonte. Today -traffic was rolling freely through Atina towards where the height; of Vicalvi reared through the haze. As we went down the road in a jeep a pitiful stream of refugees, toiling upwards with the few possessions on their, heads, passed me, and an occasional truck bore a burden of disconcolate prisoners, the total number of whom were taken by the division in this action now approaches a hundred. UNEXPECTED FIRING. •The Bailey Bridge crossing the disappointing trickle of the Melfa was ■guarded by an especially dusty New Zealander, who gazed enviously at three others washing clothes in the stream. The road ran straight for another three miles. . Vicalvi loomed close—a round hill topped by the remains of a huge mediaeval castle, on which was painted a dingy red cross. To the right shone the clean-looking white buildings of Alvito. Suddenly our progress was halted by the startlingly close sound of machine-gun fire, followed by the crumps of mortars. The town was only about half a mile ahead. The absence of hostile gunfire had encouraged us to remain on the road much longer than was wise, but the fire stopped as abruptly as it started. Nearby were two New Zealand armoured cars, and from their crews we learned the story of their latest con-' tact with the enemy. Early this morning an armoured car patrol counted six white flags flying from the castle and houses in the town. Cars and infantry went forward and entered the outskirts of the village. Suddenly they were met by Spandau and mortar fire. Fanatical German soldiers even tried to lob grenades into the open turrets of the cars. Our force withdrew, and since then .any movements have been greeted with fire from the town. Apparently the white flags were hung out by Italian civilians in an attempt to prevent Allied shelling—a pardonable desire in the circumstances. MOMENTARY DEADLOCK. Meanwhile, our troops pushed on into Alvito, part of which they now hold. A. patrol scaled the heights above this town, but was driven in by heavy fire. For the moment there is a deadlock, but it will not last long. The Germans again have the advantage of position, but their numbers are small, and they seem to have only mortars and small arms. As I watched, our 25-pounders were opening up on the enemy hills, toss-1 ing great plumes of smoke into the j air above the ragged peaks. We made | our way back, but had not gone far when the first enemy shell came in. It was' an 88-millimetre, and seemed to come from the direction of Sandonato, in the north-east hills. Landing scarcely more than a hundred yards away with the wicked crack of its breed, it considerably accelerated our departure. The prisoners taken since the beginning of our drive are a strangely diversified lot. Coming largely from mountain divisions, they include Czechs and Austrians, who would not! admit to knowing a word of German. One prisoner had a pleasant reunion. He was a mountaineer, proudly wearing a green arm-band, signifying service in the capture of Crete. He repeated what many other prisoners have said during the past couple of wee*ks: that this was much worse than Hussia; there wasn't any Luftwaffe; it was just retreat and retreat, always hounded by our guns and planes. Sympathy was notably lacking. He was getting just what he dished out in Greece and Crete, but in double doses. ARCE, May 29. The New Zealanders have moved up the Liri Valley in the vanguard of the Eighth Army, and today entered Arce.

Experiments in oil extraction from Alberta tar sands are to be renewed. A separation plant is nearing completion. The refinery is being rebuilt, and probably will be in operation by September. 1