ITALIAN CAMPAIGN

Evening Star, Issue 25004, 25 October 1943, Page 3

ITALIAN CAMPAIGN

Review By General Alexander Salerno Critical—March to Rome Slow Trea» Association—By Telegraph—Copyright (Rec. noon.) RUGBY, October 24. " The Italian campaign is going well, b.ut slowly," declared General Alexander, to war correspondents at his headquarters in Italy on Sunday. "It has not gone as quickly as one would have liked, because one always wants to get to Home as quickly as possible. They say all roads lead to Home, but to-day all those roads are mined. It has also been said that he who holds Rome holds the hearts of the Italian people, but avo need Rome strategically as well." General Alexander said the Italian campaign was a continuation of the series *of body blows against the German* begun at Alamem. He declared that the Italian campaign had forced the Germans to bring troops into Italy and the Balkans which would otherwise have been available for use in Russia. It was his estimate that, as the result of the Italian collapse, the Germans had committed between 35 and 40 divisions to Italy and the Balkans. He described the campaign so far as a slow, slogging up of Italy. / Reviewing the campaign to date, he said/ the total casualties of the Fifth and Eighth Armies were about 15,000, . including 8,000 British and 6,000 Americans with the Fifth Army, and 1,000 British or Empire troops with the Eighth Army. The plan for the Salerno landing'was a very good one, but the Germans were able to react quickly and throw in greater forces. The enemy concentrated four divisions round the bridgehead operating from fixed bases, whereas . our forces had only the sea at their backs. The situation there on September 15 was exceedingly critical, but General Clark handled his army exceedingly well. We turned on all our air forces and also our naval guns, and that saved the day. A contributory factor was the Eighth Army's capture of Potenza and the landing at Taranto, which threatened the German flank. The Germans had been reinforcing ail the time since we landed in Italy, General Alexander stated. There were seven divisions holding the line in front of our forces, and, according to Italian sources, the Germans were building a strong line in the north.

The Germans were still using two commanders—von Kesselring in the south and Rommel in the north. .

Questioned about the assistance Italy will be able to give the Allies, General Alexander said the Germans disarmed a large. number as soon as - the armistice was announced. " We have been using Italian troops at the moment to assist in the labour work. The Carabihieri have been doing a very good job, keeping law and order in the country, thereby saving the employment of a lot of troops.'

The capture of Lucito. a few miles from Trigno and 11 miles north of Campobasso, is also most important from a Communications viewpoint because it strengthens the vital network in the Allied rear.

Despatches from the Canadian front on the Eighth Army's left flank show a slow but gallant advance through, difficult country under heavy shellfire. The Canadians, in capturing '.Campochiaro, had to storm their way up 2,000 ft high slopes to the town on tho summit against intense fire from German positions on the heights. Reuier's Algiers correspondent says the capture,of Campochiaro, though representing an advance of only five miles from Vinchiaturo, is

the prelude to a further advance along the Rome highway. Massages from the Fifth Army front" say the thrust which captured Baiaelantina represents a new threat • to Venafro, tho eastern bastion of von Kesselring's western line hinging on Mondragone on the sea. Sharp clashes between Allied patrols and German rearguards is tho only actmty reported from the coastal sector.

Algiers radio announced that General Eisenhower had gone to Italy to confer with General Clark.'