HARD GOING IN ITALY

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 November 1943, Page 5

HARD GOING IN ITALY

WEATHER' AND TERRAIN FIFTH ARMY’S PROBLEM LONDON, November 16. Snow and mud for the second consecutive day pinned down the Allies in Italy. To-day’s Allied communique reports no new developments, but correspondents say that the Bth Array has gained a little ground north of Atessa. On the sth Army .front, the Germans put in heavy counter-attacks and forced the Americans to abandon some of their forward position. , j A Reuter correspondent states: — The Eighth Army, for the first time in its history, is in greatcoats, the troops wearing long woollen underwear under battledress, and also leather jerkins with heavy greatcoats on top and muffler gloves to keep out damp and cold. They are standing by guns along the Sangro River from the mouth to the upper reaches in the snows-covered Appennines. It is a different cold from dry cold desert night. There is mud, slush, sleet, snow and ice. GERMANS GAIN HILL. RUGBY, November 16. Persistent bad weather on both fronts limited the actions oi the armies yesterday, states a correspondent at Allied Headquartei s. Eighth Army patrols made a few sorties across, the RJiver Sangro against enemy elements near Monrazooli, four miles east of Sangro, at a place roughly 20 miles from its estuary. The sth Army continued active defence and two counter-at-tacks by the enemy were repulsed, but one feature hill on Montcrote, north of the Venture, was yielded. MOUNTAINOUS STRONGHOLDS. RUGBY. November 16. Twenty miles of mountainous country, ' constituting the German Winter line, faces the sth Army, and into these- rugged hills several enemy divisions have dug strong positions, states an Agency war correspondent. At Castelforte, on Monday, one group of enemy troops flew a swastika flag plainly visible from our forward posts. Patrolling was die only activity along the from, but explosions could be seen where the Germans were carrying out demolitions. OFFENSIVE CHECKED. (Rec. 1.35 p.m.) LONDON, Noy. 16. Along the 1711010’ Italian front, t.ie Allies are battling in rain and snowstorms against increased German resistance. General Alexander has slipped his offensive machine into low gear to overcome mud, slush, and mountains, says one correspondent. The Bth Army continues to edge forward to level, up its line along the Sangro River. It has strengthened its hold north ol die recently captured Atessa by gaining new heights. Advanced units moving forward from positions 20 miles inland, clashed with a German detachment at Montazzoli, six miles north of the British-held CnstigHone. The Germans are expected to put up a hard fight for Montazzoli, which overlooks the Sangro Valley four miles distant. , The sth Army advanced three miles beyond Rionero, south-west ol Castel Di Sangro. The sth Army repelled two strong German coun-ter-attacks north-west of Isernia, where the Germans threw m the 9.9 th Panzer Grenadier Division, which suffered heavy casualties.

GERMAN DESTRUCTION. LONDON, November 16. Allied correspondents in Italy report that the- Germans are carrying out a violent scorched P 01i 57 - Reuter’s correspondent wuh _ the Bth Army says: “Night alter night the sky over the mountains behind toe enemy lines is lit by a red glow. The Germans are setting lire to villages, from which they are removing everything of value and destioyinv every house in which British troops might possibly be billeted. They have already driven every inhabitant, from the oldest woman o the youngest child, from seven villages. The Germans are destroying all facilities in the harbour of Pescaro and Ortona, and have a-so blown up all bridges over the Sangro River.” Axis reports claim that Allied warships and transports are concentrating off Naples in preparation _or a new landing behind the G-erman positions on the west coast of Italy. They also forecast a new Bth Army offensive. AERIAL ATTACKS RUGBY, November 16. An air communique says: On Monday an attack was made on the El Eusis airfield, Athens, by heavy bombers of the North-west African Air Force, escorted by long-range fighters. Medium bombers, also escorted by long-range fighters, attacked Kalamiti airfield, Athens. Both targets were covered with bomb straddles. The operations by fighters were limited by the weather. Transport was attacked in the battle area. A number of trucks were destroyed near Ancona. Two of our aircraft are missing. One of the features of yesterday s air activities was the debut of Jugoslav pilots against the Luftwaffe, in Liberators given them by the United States Government. With American fighters they flew to Eleusis aerodrome, Athens, in the first raid by heavy bombers on Greece for some time. Some of the Jugoslav pilots had ferried the planes to Cairo after receiving them from Mr. Roosevelt. Mitchells found the weather too thick over Italy yesterday, but went across to Greece to attack Kalamaki aerodrome, a big air base just outside Athens. BOMBING SOFIA LONDON, November 15. The Ankara radio quoting a message from Sofia said that about 130 bombers participated in the raid and dropped about two hundred bombs. Delayed action bombs were still exploding on the outskirts of the city late in the afternoon. A number of buildings were damaged but casualties were light. Sofia is calm. The German News Agency says that Bulgarian Council Ministers met this morning to discuss the measures to be taken after the raid on Sofia. LATER. _ Widespread riots occurred in Bulgaria following Sunday’s Allied airraid on Sofia, say reports from Istanbul. The police have been ordered to shoot looters. Delayed-action bombs were still exploding in Sofia last night, 30 hours after the raid. JUGOSLAV REVERSE LONDON, November 16. A Jugoslav communique reported: The Germans in Macedonia have brought up reinforcements, causing our units to retire to new positions. We have repelled all enemy attacks in East Bosnia. The Germans in Dalmatia are carrying out strong offensive operations. We have evacuated the Pelpesac Peninsula. PROGRESS AT LEROS GERMANS ON ~DEFENSIVE (Rec. 9.15 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 16. British forces on Leros have again joined up, and the Germans now

hold only one bridgehead, which is east of Gurna Bay on the west coast, stated the Algiers radio, The British and Italians, after four days’ battle, improved their positions against the Germans sent to reinforce the original force. The enemy, north-east of Leros, lost ground and suffered considerable losses. British and Italian troops in counter-attacks, effectively supported by R.A.F., captured numerous prisoners. ' The Berlin radio admits that Germans on Leros are now on the defensive. but claims that the BritishItalian attempts to break the German bridgehead have failed. AERIAL "ACTIVITIES RUGBY, November 16. Our forces at Leros were subjected to heavy, • incessant bombing attacks from the air on Monday, states a Mid-East joint communique. Our troops continue to hold the enemy. Fighting is severe. Mid-east aircraft continued attacks on enemy shipping in the Aegean area, and positions at Leros, Crete, and Rhodes during the day and night. Spitfires and Hurricanes carried out a sweep over Rhodes and attacked mechanical transport and A.A. guns in Crete. American bombers, escorted by British long-range fighters, encountered two enemy destroyers escorted by JUBB and Arrado 196 near Leros. A hit on one vessel was followed by a large column of black smoke. In an attack on Cato airfield, Rhodes, on Monday night, bursts were seen on aircraft in the dispersal area, and a red glow was observed. Heavy bombers scored bursts among hangars at Maritza airfield, Rhodes. From these and other operations none .of our aircraft is missing. NAVAL PATROLS. RUGBY, November 16. A special naval communique issued at Alexandria states that during recent weeks Allied naval units have maintained constant patrols in the Aegean. A number of successful attacks have been, carried out against enemy shipping and landing craft and supply vessels. Ports of enemy-occupied islands have been bombarded on several occasions, ,a medium merchant ship and a number of small craft being destroyed. Bombardments have also been carried out in support of the garrison on Leros. The above operations have been conducted under frequent air attack and in spile of the enemy’s local air superiority.