ALLIED PROGRESS

Grey River Argus, 23 October 1943, Page 5

ALLIED PROGRESS

ON ITALIAN FRONTS Enemy’s New Line RISK OF OUTFLANKING FROM SEA LONDON, Oct. 21. An Allied communique reported only patrol activity yesterday in the Volturno area. An Allied communique at Algiers said advances were made on the Fifth Army front. in the coastal area, north of Volturno, canals and drainage ditches mac.e movements'difficult. Earlier reports said that the fighting was along the Volturno line, the Germans were burning houses, killing cattle, laying mines, blowing up roads and railways, and doing everything else possible to harass and hinder Fifth Arm I '/ forces. There were signs that in retreating io hills aboye Capua, overlooking the coastal plain from the north, the Germans would establish their next line of resistance in these foothills, as they were already massing there in strength. The hills rise to a height of 2,500 feet and offer excellent defensive positions. All the roads to Rome pass through valleys and can be dominated by artillery. Dispatches from Italy to the British Broadcasting Corporation suggest that the German withdrawal to the north across the Volturno Blain may be the prelude to a counter-at-tack. Increasing enemy: troop concentrations are reported. During the lull in land lighting Allied air forces from North-west Africa and from new bases in ftary bombed airfields, round Rome, and railways were bombed leading from Florence, Genoa, and Foggia to Rome. From all the operations only three aircraft are missing. FIFTH ARMY GAINS. (Rec. 12.40.) LONDON, Oct. 22. The Fifth Army has taken seventeen more villages. GERMANS DIG IN. ON NEW LINE. (Rec. 12.40.) LONDON, Oct. 22. . Germans have sent two fresh divisions to the western sector in an attempt to delay an advance on Rome. Allied Headquarters say: Fifth Army patrols contacted a new German - line along the Massico Ridge. There the enemy is reported to be well dug in. more allied landings. EXPECTED BY ENEMY. (Rec. 10-50.) LONDON, Oct .22. Despatches to the Swedish press, from Berlin, state that there is a regrouping of Allied reinforcements ‘in Italy, and an assembly of Allied forces in Sicily, and Sardinia which indicate that General Eisenhower is preparing for a big invasion on the west coast of Italy behind the German front. ' -The Stockholm “Dagens Nyhether quotes a Berlin spokesman stating that Marshal Kesselring had anticipated the eventuality of Allied landings at several places on the west coast, and is fully prepared. ENEMY AMMUNITION TRAIN BLOWN UP. (Rec. 11.35.) LONDON, Oct. 21. Reuter’s correspondent with tne Eighth Army says: A terrific explosion shook the countryside south ot Ancona yesterday, when Kitty-bomb-ers blew up an enemy ammunition train. The blast was so great that one of our ’planes, flying at a good height, was blown to pieces. A large part of a neighbouring village was shattered. EIGHTH ARMY ADVANCING. (Rec. 12.5.) LONDON, Oct. 22 Algiers United Nations’ radio stated- Allied forces have been advancing all along the Italian front in spite of bad weather and of lively enemy resistance. Eighth Army forces pushed forward four or. five miles and occupied heights dominating BaParis radio says: The Eighth Aimy launched three attacks against Baranello. Fierce fighting, is now going on around the t°».n- NDON , Oct . 21 . An Allied communique recorded small advances by Eighth Army forces in the centre. . . The Eighth Army is fighting in the heart of the Appennines as slow and savage a battle’ as ever it fought since it stormed the Alamein line a year ago next Saturday. With 363 days’ success since then, it is still advancing, but the tardy progress at present is proof of the difficulties and problems of this battle for the heights. The Eighth Army is now slogging towards its new obstacle, a mile distant, namely the fast and swollen Biferno River on which the German rearguards are well established, lhe Eighth Army yesterday' advanced eight miles and captured the villages of Oratino and Busso, west of Campobasso, standing on the heights dominating Baranello, on the Vinchia-turo-Isernia road. British troops have reached Oratino, which is 300lnt up, by a twisting single-track road. They stormed Busso at the end of a still rougher, serpent-like cart track. The enemy west of these villages is. dug in among the heights around Baranello, which is the strategic centre of the entire German defences on the northern slope of the Appennines.