N.Z. TROOPS IN ITALY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 24, 28 July 1944, Page 5

N.Z. TROOPS IN ITALY

APPROACH TO FLORENCE

(By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.) Rec 9.30 a.m. LONDON, July 27.

New Zealanders of the Eighth Army, smashing through stiff opposition on Highway 2, have pushed patrols into the neighbourhood of San Casciano and have also reached high ground southwest of San Stefano, reports Reuters correspondent in Italy. The New Zealanders have taken prisoner 100 Gerr mans in the past three days.

South -Africans, due south of Florence, have reached a point four miles north of Greve. The New Zealanders and South Africans are now the same distance — eight miles —from Florence. The British vanguard has reached the lateral road from Figline to Greve. The British to the east have captured after desperate fighting Campriano, which is a hill feature north-east of Arezzo. British and- Indian troops have now cleared a broad expanse of the Upper Tiber Valley beyond Citta di Castello and gained complete control of the Arezzo-Citta di Castello road. British troops, overcoming tough resistance, have edged closer to San Sepolcro, 10 miles north-west of Citta di Costello, and some units have already by-passed the town from the west. The fall of this important road junction is imminent. The Germans still hold the northern part of Pisa and are continuing to erect barricades and machine-gun posts along key streets in the upper part of the city. The enemy, by increasing the tempo of his shell fire, is trying to deny the Allies the use of the main roads .south of Pisa.

The Germans, according to Reuters correspondent, are using the famous leaning tower of Pisa as an artillery observation post. The tower is clearly visible from our lines.

Poles and Italians of the Eighth Army fringe the port of Senigallia, 15 miles north-west of Ancona.