PROGRESS IN ITALY

Greymouth Evening Star, 6 November 1944, Page 5

PROGRESS IN ITALY

“RATHER DISAPPOINTED”

GEN. ALEXANDER’S STATEMENT

LONDON, November 5

“There is no indication that the Germans have the slightest intention of withdrawing from Italy,” said General Sir Harold Alexander, according to a correspondent in Rome. The Allied Commander gave the impression that he was confident that the Germans would be driven out of the country, but he did not forecast the date.

He revealed that the time for the opening of the Western Front was fixed last Autumn, and that his task was twofold—to destroy as many German divisions as possible, and to produce a first-class victory before the invasion of the Continent was launched. Rome fell the day before D Day. Saying that he was “rather disappointed” at the average rate of progress of a mile and a-quarter a day. compared with four miles and a-half a day from El Alamein to Florence, General Alexander, however, replied to criticism that more amphibious operations should have been undertaken by declaring that neither the men nor the landing craft were available. Broadcasting over the Rome radio, General Sir Harold .Alexander exhorted Italian patriots in North Italy to destroy communications: “The enemy, who is fighting desperately in the Apennines, depends for reinforcements on the railways and roads connecting him with the North Italian industrial centres, and with Germany,” he said. “Patriots, the traitors, murderers, and torturers responsible for your sufferings must not escape judgment. Prevent them getting out of Italy.”

WEATHER CAUSES LULL

RUGBY, November 4

“The weather has enforced a general lull in the Italian fighting,” says a communique from Allied Headquarters. “Activity on the front of the Allied armies has been confined to patrolling.” The Rome radio has announced that the Allied forces on Friday captured the Forli aerodrome.

It is officially announced that Allied casualties in Italy since May 11, when the Casino break through started, total 116,150. Enemy casualties in the same period were 194,000. Bad weather on Friday curtailed air operations, but a small force of aircraft attacked industrial targets in Germany and Austria. A Rome correspondent described these raids as “harassing” attacks on targets in the Munich, Vienna, and Kagenfurt areas. Fighters and fighter bombers attacked communications in the Po Valley and Jugoslavia and Albania, and an airfield near Zareb. In some 300 sorties two Allied aeroplanes are missing. LOCAL ADVANCE. RUGBY, Nov. 5. The weather continues to improve on the Italian front, but not sufficiently to allow extensive operations, writes a Rome correspondent. On the Eighth Army front lighting is still in progress around the Forli airfield, and on the south side British infantry and armour have advanced 500 yards against strong opposition. The 'Poles, advancing through the high ground south of Forli, have pushed on over a mile.

German opposition is stiffening north of Route 9. The Americans are now reported to be in action to the cast of Monte Balmont, on the Fifth Army’s central sector.

AERIAL OFFENSIVE

RUGBY, November 5.

Escorted Fortresses and Liberators bombed targets at Vienna through cloud to-day, states a correspondent at Rome. Medium bombers for the second consecutive day hammered the Brenner Pass Line and railroads to Jugoslavia. Locomotive bursting fighter-bombers added 25 locomotives to their bag operating in Northern Italy and Northern Jugoslavia.

WITH THE NEW ZEALANDERS

[Ofllclal War Correspondent. N.Z.B.ff.]

ADRIATIC’ (Delayed). In a 15-mile advance, hundreds of German prisoners and a bag of five Tiger tanks, half a dozen Panther tank turrets and sell-propelled guns, and a greater number of anti-tank weapons are what the New Zealand Division has to show for its latest four weeks of solid fighting. During that time, the men of the division conquered every obstacle provided by a clever and determined resistance, water-logged country criss-crossed with rivers, ditches and canals, and weather which steadily became worse. Our troops were not new to the Rimini area when they look over the sector. Alter the division had moved in secret from Florence to the Adriatic with other units of the Bth Army, the entire New Zealand artillery supported the Canadians in their successful assault on the Gothic Line After this, New Zealand tanks and a Wellington motorised battalion were in action with the Greeks during the advance on Rimini. Two Shermans' of the Auckland Regiment scored first blood for the armour, when at 1500 yards they chopped the heart from a Panther turret which was holding up the Greeks at Rimini airfield. When ■Rimini fell on the morning of September 21, New Zealand tanks led : the Greeks into the town. The Cani adians took the dominating Fortu- : nato ridge, and forced the bridgehead > across the swollen Marecchia River, i With this good beginning a New t Zealand brigade opened the offensive 1 by thrusting down on to the junction iof Highways 9 and 16. There was a ' small battle round the village of Celle fbefoie our men cleared a powerful strongpoint from which Panther tur- * rets covered these most important i| roads. Two days after the fall of 1 Rimini New Zealand tanks were well i past the crossroads, and pressing on down Highway 16. From then on the New Zealanders have been kept busy until the time of writing. The stage is set for an Bth Army advance on Forli and Ravenna—both performances to take place “weather permitting.” EIGHTH ARMY. CHANGE IN COMMAND. RUGBY, November 3. The Bth Army Command has changed hands. Lieutenant-General Sir Oliver Leese has been appointed to command the 11th Army Group in the South-east Asia Command. r rhis group contains the 14th Army. Lieu-tenant-General Leese succeeds General Sir George Gifford. Lieutenant-General Sir Richard L. McCreery, who has been appointed to succeed Lieutenant-General Leese, says in a personal message to the Bth Army: “It was the proudest day of my life when I was appointed to take over .the Bth Army from LieutenantGeneral Leese. It will be difficult to follow two such distinguished commanders as my predecessors, but I shall do my utmost to maintain your great traditions and look after the interests of all sections of this famous Allied Army. I really ap- ■ predate the many problems" and hardships which long service over-

seas has imposed on many soldiers in the Bth Army. We must go allout to finish the job quickly. The Germans are not yet beaten. They are still fighting hard on all three fronts, but their difficulties are increasing rapidly. With your wholehearted support, the Bth Army,, together with our comrades of the American sth Army, will play an essential part in the final defeat of the enemy in Europe.” Lieutenant-General McCreery is no stranger to Lieutenant-General Mark Clark, the sth Army commander. He planned and conducted the brilliant crossing of the Garigliano River last January, which won the bridgehead from which American and French troops launched their offensive in May. Lieutenant-Gen-eral McCreery is a tank expert As General Alexander’s chief ot staff he he helped to plan the knock-out of the Axis in Africa. He . has had many months of campargnrngSrn Italy as commander of the 10th British Corps, which landed at Salerno as part of the sth Army. The correspondent of “The Times at Allied Headquarters in Italy says that Lieutenant-General Leese bade farewell to the Bth Army some time ago after leading it beyond the Gothic Line. His victories have entitled him to be regarded as one of the war’s great generals. LYNCHING OF POLICE CHIEF.

(Rec. 12.35 p.m.) LONDON, November 5. Two women are held primarily responsible for the.lynching of Donato Carretta, by the Commission of Inquiry, savs Reuter’s Rome correspondent. A crowd rioting at the Caruso trial dragged Carretta from the Courtroom mandhandled him and dragged him semi-conscious to the Tiber and threw him into the river. One of the women mentioned in the Commission’s report is described as psychopathic. She harangued the crowd alleging that Carretta had demanded 200 000 lire to have the life of her son who was executed by Fascists on May 8 The woman under questioning admitted the story was a fabrication and declared she acted under the influence of a dream. The report stated that two youths mainly responsible for manhandling Carretta had criminal records. Carretta'was a humane man and took grave risks as prison governor in assisting political prisoners. BROADCASTER ARRESTED.

LONDON, November 5. A Reuter correspondent at Rome stated: Mussolini’s star broadcaster, Mario Appelius, who also used to write in II Duce’s newspaper, Popolo d’ltalia,” has been rounded up by the police. Appelius has been hiding in Rome in a nursing home under an assumed name.