FIGHTING IN ITALY

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 November 1944, Page 5

FIGHTING IN ITALY

FORLI AIRFIELD STRUGGLE ALLIED TROOPS ADVANCE LONDON, Nov. S. On the Adriatic sector in Italy more progress has been made by Polish troops of the Bth Army, who have gained another hill feature south of Forli. Fighting continues for the bit-terly-contested Forli airfield. Activity on the sth Army’s sector has been confined to patrolling. Allied aircraft based in Italy yesterday made more than 2000 operational flights. The Germans are still holding out at Forli airfield, fighting for which has been going on for nearly a week, states Reuter’s correspondent at Allied Headquarters in Italy. They are clinging to the bomb-wrecked airfield buildings despite the continued heavy British air attacks. British troops on the southern and western sides of the ’ airfield have been subjected to heavy shelling. TWO HILLS CAPTURED

RUGBY, November 8.

Monte Casaluda, six miles southwest of Forli, is in Allied hands, after heavy fighting, during which four counter-attacks were beaten off, reports a correspondent at Allied Headquarters. Monte Agostino, two miles west was also captured while on the left flank, troops advancing along the Florence-Forli road captured San Ruffillo, and pushed on towards Dovadola, thus increasing the threat to outflank the Germans defending Forli. On the coast there was fighting four miles soutft of Ravenna at the beginning of the network of waterways which since the recent heavy rains have greatly facilitated the defence of the city. Escorted United States heavy bombers bombed troop concentrations in Jugoslavia and rail targets and bridges in Northern Italy in great strength, says a Mediterranean communique. Other Allied aircraft attacked targets in Jugoslavia, Serbia and Northern Italy. CAPTURE IN SIGHT RUGBY, Nov. 8. Since early on Wednesday Allied aircraft have again been dive-bomb-ing enemy strongpoints near Forli' writes a correspondent in Italy. Tuesday’s daylight attack by the Air Force on enemy positions outside Forli was followed up at night by a heavy artillery barrage, under cover of which troops were able to creep forward to strengthen the positions across the Ronco River. By this morning the enemy had been driven practically from the Forli airfield and we had reached the village from where the road leads straight into the city. If we manage to break through here the Germans west and south-west of the city will be in danger of being cut. off. The stalemate which has existed outside Forli is definitely ended, and the capture of the place is in sight, though heavy fighting is ahead during the next few days. The weather has been good for several days now, but much depends on the conditions during the next 24 .hours. FASCISTS - LIQUIDATED RUGBY, Nov. 8. All Fascist political organisations known to the Allied authorities in liberated Italy have been liquidated, said Mr. Eden in the Commons today. Every effort is being made to obtain information regarding the underground Fascist political organisations, and these are being liquidated as soon as they are discovered. The principle of destroying organisations peculiar to the Fascist system of government has been applied equally to economic organisations in Italy. Thus the Italian Ministry of Corporations, which virtually controlled Italian industry and commerce, no longer exists.