EIGHTH ARMY’S GAINS

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 November 1943, Page 5

EIGHTH ARMY’S GAINS

I BATTLE IN DARKNESS RIVER VILLAGE CAPTURED LONDON, November 21 The official communiques on Italy suggest that bad weather is still limiting operations, but correspondents describe a vigorous action on the Bth Army’s front north of Atessa The capture by the Bth Army of Agnone was reported to-day. Agnone is halfway between Vasto and Isernia. , . A communique from Algiers says that Bth Army troops inflicted casualties on the enemy in several successful patrol actions. - “There was hard lighting in one sector, says the communique, “whore our troops captured a village. Enemy artillery is again in action on the sth Army front especially in the inland zone, Where our troops improved their positions.” „ , The stiffest fighting for many days on the Bth Army’s front occurred during darkness, when the Bth Army drove the Germans from an important village, Perano, which overlooks the Sangro River, and is about nine miles inland from the coast, says a correspondent with the Bth Army. The German garrison, a battalion ot infantry, with a number of self-pro-pelled guns, held the village, which stands on high ground about a mile south of the river. The Germans had a commanding view from the village over most of the country, but there was one blind spot. "this, however, was so rocky and precipitous ” says the correspondent, “ that the’ ’Germans assumed we would be unable to operate tanks over it. Late on Thursday afternoon the garrison had the surprise of their lives when they saw our tanks dosing m on the village from the blind spot. Our enterprising tank commanders had found a path up and the tanks wcie soon engaging the German self-pro-pelled guns with ios, and attacking their infantry positions with ma-chine-guns. “While Ibis was going on, our infantry, .following the tanks, attacked the village from a flank. A company with fixed bayonets succeeded in rushing the German positions and entering the village just as darkness fell The lighting went on m _jhe village in the darkness, 'rhe Germans pulled back their sei I -propelled guns immediately darkness set in, and’ their infantry had had enough by midnight, when they began to retreat By 2-30 a.m. our forces reported that the village was dear of enemy The enemy used one bridge they so far had left undamaged to cross the Sangro when they retired from Perano. “Further to the south-west, our patrols are pushing forward through the mountains near the head waters of the Sangro, without contacting the enemy. Only a few enemy pockets are now left south of the Sangio, and our troops occupy all the commanding ground overlooking the Sangro, IMPORTANT GAINS. (Rec 11.35 a.m.) LONDON. Nov. 21. The British Bth Army has made important new gains south of the Sangro River after the biggest battle for a week in Italy. Four valuable centres have been captured in the oast 48 hours, resulting m the shortening of the Bth Army’s line by 21 miles. , . Reuter's Algiers correspondent says the Bth Army troops now line lhe banks of the Sangro River lor 12 miles from the Adriatic. Since lhe Bth Armv sprung into activity two days ago after one week’s inactivity owing to bad. weather it has captured Archi. an important town on the south'bank of the Sangro 15 miles from the Adriatic coast; Agnone, 39 miles from the Adriatic: lhe village of Castel San Vincenzo. nine miles north-west of Isernia; and lhe village of Rochelta, nearby. The capture of Agnone means .an eight miles advance. The British have gained a total ot 145 square miles of territory and also the command ot i> 60-milc’ stretch of the cross-Italy road from Vasto to Venafro. In taking Agnone heavy casualties were inflicted on the enemy. Eighth Army troops have now x advanced beyond the town. . By the occupation oi The villages of Castel San Vincenzo and Rochelta the Allies have increased their outflanking threat to Cassino The stn Army, although still experiencing bad Aveather, have renewed their dogged nibbling tactics in the mountains. Reuters adds tiiai Ihe slli .Army’s right Hank north ol Isernia has advanced three miles, but there are no important changes on lhe rest of the front, whore activity is confined to artillery exchanges. Bad flying weather has stopped heavy bombing in the past, few days. Reuter’s correspondent with the oth Armv says military experts in Italy are soeculating on the possibility ol Rome being a Christmas present lor the United Nations, but much depends on the weather. If there is another spell ot fine weather there is no doubt that the war will emerge from the present patrol and artillery activity into full-blooded Allied pressure with the Allied troops determined to avenge their recent slight reverses in the mountainous, centre sector of the sth Army front. AERIAL ACTIVITIES LIMITED. RUGBY, November 21. Unfavourable weather over targets in Italy caused the cancellation of virtually all air operations yesterday. Fighters flying over the battle area encountered no enemy aircraft. _No bombing missions were flown. One aircraft is missing. In the west coastal area, anti-aircraft gunners shot down six aircraft, which came low over the mountains, and attacked troops on the roads. Rain and mud continued to hamper both land and aii operations .in all sectors of Italy on Saturday. The land communique states: “Moro heavy rain fell on the hth Army front,, but successful patrols were carried out and positions improved. The village of Archi. two miles east of the River Sangro and the high ground near it, were seized by our troops. Patrolling continued on the sth Army front, where weather conditions were again bad.’ The air communique states: “There was very little air activity on Saturday owing to bad weather. During Friday night intruders attacked rolling stock at Padua and west of Farrara. One of our aircraft is missing.” Photographs show that 21 JU 88 long-range bombers were among 33 planes destroyed or damaged in a recent Allied air raid at Elemis (Greece). JUGOSLAV SUCCESSES. RUGBY. November 21. Jugoslav forces are operating at Baiiat “on „ Hungarian territory, where partisan detachments carried out a number of successful enterprises in the last few days, and disarmed several smaller garrisons,” states a communique from the Jugoslav People’s Liberation Army. Banat is the former Rumanian territory part of which was “ceded” to Hungary, together with Transylvania in 1938. In Jugoslavia itself partisans coni tinue to harass, enemy communications’ and garrisons, and repelled German attacks. ITALIAN GENERAL STAFF. LONDON. November 21. The Bari radio has announced that Marshal Messe has been named Chief of the Italian General Staff. OIX Marshal Badoglio’s nomination, in

succession to General Ambrosio, who has been given inspection duties. General Ambrosio has been relieved of the General Staff post at his own request. EMERGENCY~AT FLORENCE

NEW YORK, November 20. A state of emergency has been proclaimed in Florence following street fighting between Italian and German soldiers, says the Berne correspondent of the Stockholm newspaper, “Afton Tidningen.” An 8 p.m. curfew has .been imposed and Germans have been instructed to fire on groups of more than three. The Cairo radio reports that the Germans are using dive-bombers to blast out Italian guerrillas attacking German transport at the mouth of the Simplon tunnel. Fifteen thousand Italian soldiers are reported to be hiding in the nearby mountains. LOSS OFLEROS. LONDON, November 20. “The loss of Leros is not of great military importance, but it is a significant answer to those who predicted the early weakening of Germany’s resistance,” said the United States Under-Secretary of War (Mr. Patterson) in a speech. “No thinking man would predict when the war will end, but I am sure that blows will be struck in 1944 that will determine the outcome.” . The Morocco .radio has quoted a report from Berlin that Allied forces have withdrawn from Sarnos. TURKEY AND BRITAIN. LONDON. November 2.1. Reports from Istanbul say that the Turkish Foreign Minister (M. Menem encioglu) has informed . the British Government ol a decision taken at a party meeting that Turkey is ready to comply . with the terms of the Anglo-Turkish Mutual. Aid Treaty. Representatives of other Powers have also been informed. ei LATER. Following a report; that Turkey has informed Britain she is ready w roiiiply with lhe British-Turkish Mutual Aid Treaty, the well-known lurkish publicist “Yalvhin.” writing m the newspaper “Tanin,” says: *io believe we are far from all kinds oI obligations and will never enter the war as though no alliance were ever concluded is a grave mistake. It is al ways possible for the treaty conditions to be fulfilled and for us to be obliged to do, our duty and stand beside our Allies.” POLISHFORCES LONDON, November 20. At the conclusion of a visit to The Polish Army in. the Middle East. General Kazimierz Sosnkowski, Commander-in-Chief of the Polish forces, has issued an order of the day telling the troops that they mignt soon go into battle. He said: “You aie now well equipped lor fresh battles. You have at your disposal every sori of equipment. You will acquire practical- experience on the field oi battle. I. have tried to obtain for you suitable conditions for waging war as part of the Allied Army. The rest depends on you.” During his inspection artillery manoeuvres were held in Palestine to give the troops an impression of a real barrage.