CAMPAIGN IN ITALY

Greymouth Evening Star, 3 November 1944, Page 5

CAMPAIGN IN ITALY

GEN, ALEXANDER’S REVIEW TRIBUTE TO AMERICANS RUGBY, Novembei’ 2. “In 14 months we have advanced 500 miles from Giao to just short of Bologna, an average rate of a mile and a quarter daily,” said General Alexander, summing up the Italian campaign, according to a Rome message. General Alexander said that once Germany had built up her- force in Italy from the five divisions when we first landed on the mainland to 30 employed last Summer. The Allies had never had more than slight superiority in numbers. We had, however, superiority in tanks, guns and Pl Tlfe Allied Commander-in-Chief described the Anzio landing and the Cassino bombing as surprise operations aimed at weakening the enemy s position on the Gustav Line before our Spring offensive. Neither was a 100 per cent success, he said, but botn had paid dividends. Kesselring, m bringing divisions from the noithof Italy, had carried out a move we haa foreseen, but did not want. That was unwelcome to General Alexanaer, but excellent from the point of view of fighter strategy, as it meant more Geiman divisions were entangled in Italy. Anzio had played a reall y. part in the Summer campaign, whicn had ended with the fall 9 f P d attempted obliteration oi Cassino had c i ven us the gulf fortress with comparatively small losses, which made the launching of the Rapido offensive m General Alexander revealed that the withdrawal of the I‘renchand some American divisions for the invasion of. Southern France had nec ® s^ a ted replanning the assault on the Gothic Line. A two-handed punch was agai employed, as in Southern Italy and the P Spring offensive. As Kesselring, reacting like lightning 11-ie Eighth Arfny s rupture 01. the line in the°east, had" reinforced his initial two divisions with others from the centre of the line. It was then that General Mark Clark was told to at tack and he broke through the st }’ on S" est part of the Gothic Line. It was a magnificent feat of arms. General Alexander deploied oui casualties. You cannot terrific battles with 20 to 30 divisions on either side without having casualties ” he said. “Nothing is too good for “e men and we do not throw away lives unnecessarily.” General Alexander spoke m tne highest appreciation of the ®o-°Pg a d lion with the Americans. Thank Goa we have a common language, oi it wotlld be impossible, he said. Summing up the enemy, s aid. “The Germans do not lose then heads. They do not panic, and they are veiy difficult to get off their balance. CLOSING IN ON FORLI LONDON, November 2. United Kingdom troops of the Bth Army in Italy have been engaged in fierce fighting around the aerodrome at Forli Allied forces are closing m on Forli, which is less than 40 miles from Bologna, from the south and east. On the sth Army s sector American troops have liberated another village south of Bologna. The Allied communique fiom Italy to-day reports: Indian and Foiisn troops of the Eighth Army, advancins' northwards between the Rabbi and Ronco Rivers, made considerable orogress, and junctioned with a bridgehead across the Bonco ne Meldola. Americans south of cleared enemy forces irom the village of Casetta. Operations elsewhere we--limited to patrolling. Allied heavy bombers ba_sed in Italy attacked targets in the Vienna area, while other bombers, seeking targets in Italy itself, locomotives in the eastern Po Valley. EIGHTH ARMY’S PROGRESS (Rec. 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 2. Eighth Army Infantry armour alter crossing the Ronco River in strength are fighting near the north-east corner of the Forli airfield, which is close to the town, says Reuter s correspondent at Allied Headquarters in Italy A six miles’ stretch on the eastern bank of the Ronco has been cleared. The Canadians are advancing on the Adriatic coastal road, and are now within live miles of the centre of Ravenna.