ON THE ADIGE

Evening Star, Issue 25470, 28 April 1945, Page 6

ON THE ADIGE

KIWIS'PROGRESS IN ITALY ; ENEMY IS IN BAD SHAPE (N.Z.E.F. Official War Correspondent.) IN THE FIELD, April 26. Less then 36 hours after the crossing of the Po the New Zealanders were secure on the southern stopbank of the Adige. This represents a,n • advance of over 12 miles, including the surmounting of the major obstacles of the big river, which still presents problems to supply columns. After the initial crossing the infantry thrust on, supported by more and more tanks as they were painfully ferried across, one by one. Last night most, of the guns passed over. To-day the work has been expedited by commissioning " Robinson's Ferry " as a, tank and vehicle transporter. This was a civilian ferry which _ has been strengthened and is towed with amphibious " ducks."

As vehicles and guns passed forward with increasing rapidity the infantry were making steady progress against the slightest of opposition. Soon they were uicked up by tanks and trucks, and the speed of the advance was accelerated until it was comparable with the fastest we have done to date. A triangle of land in the bend of the Po was easily secured, and columns drove on toward the next river barrier. Such was the speed of our advance and the disorganisation of the enemy that men of the Twenty-fifth Battalion leading one column took a bridge intact. Beyond the town were two watec hazards which could have stopped us, but bridges were also secured across the Tartaro River and a large canal. Nevertheless, the enemy had sufficiently reorganised himself to attempt to bar our progress at one point. There was an exchange of machine-gun fire and some shelling, but there was nothing like a determined stand. Away went out column again. By-passing Ave, a provincial centre, the Twentyfifth Battalion sent companies forward, and late this morning these were securely dug in on the stopbank of the Adige. Our forces here have been considerably strengthened since then, and guns and tanks are well forward. It is apparent that the enemv is in bad shape, and that the New Zealand drive beyond the Po has done still more to disorganise him. Peasants report that the Germans passed through villages on the way to the Adige as footsore groups of stragglers. One man said many had their boots worn completely through, and some had their feet swathed in blood-stained bandages. Certainly our score of prisoners continues to mount. The general class of prisoner has changed from fighting men to exhausted stragglers, woebegone deserters and a motley collection of would-be escapees clad in the rags of Italian peasants. There must be many Germans still hiding in the orchards aci pastureland hehind us. After the two battalions had passed through the town last night a hidden sniper opened up on the engineers. Quite a number of specialist units now have prisoners to their credit.

On the way to Adige this morning I passed the strange, disquieting spectacle, of several fully-armed Italian civilians crouched in a ditch. The leader of the crouching men explained without leaving the cover of the ditch that they were stalking a German or a Fascist concealed in another ditch scarcely 100 yards away. As we were sitting in a jeep on a built-up road, we did not linger. This is an example of the type of private warfare thatsjs going on all over the Po Plain behind the main advance.