SANGRO CROSSED

Grey River Argus, 27 November 1943, Page 5

SANGRO CROSSED

BY EIGHTH ARMY BRIDGEHEAD SECURE Montgomery Satisfied RUGBY, Nov. 25. Allied Headquarters announces: “In the past few days the Bth Army fighting in exceptionally bad conditions of mud and rain, crossed the River Sangro and secured a bridgehead on a front of more than 9000 yards to a depth of about 2000. The bridgehead was firmly held against repeated German counter-attacks. Weather conditions were bad, but the Tactical Air Force, in spite of very bady flying conditions, supported the operations. The Algiers radio says: A crossing of the Sangro River was made in the early hours of Saturday. Troops crossed the open ground and covered minefields towards the escarpment a mile beyond the river. A correspondent say q the Germans were active in .the region of Castel di Sangro, but were held off by heavy artillery fire.

A press correspondent states: The Bth Army is now firmly m enemy forward positions across the Sangro near the coast and able to hold the ground gained despite repeated vigorous counter-attacks, says a correspondent. The position of the Bth Army’s five miles broad bridgehead is indicated by the defended places -in the battle area attacked from the air. Lanciano is six miles from the Adriatic, five miles beyond the Sangro, and Rossaecia one and a half, miles from the sea, and two and a half across the river. Reuter’s correspondent at Algiers says: “Wave after wave of German infantrymen, supported bv heavy artillery, poured down from 1000 ft heights north of the Sangro, in a vain endeavour to oust Bth Army units from a five and a half miles long and one and a half miles deep bridgehead Eighth Army troops, dospite onnosition, waded waist deep across the ice-cold Sangro to reinforce the first assault spearhead. Although the bridgehead was only established in the past few days, the Bth Army firmly holds the main, road from the coast and strongly grips a flat five and al half mile coastal stretch. The Bth Army advance along the 16 mile s front of the Upper Sangro Valiev threatens the whole centre German Winter line. Before the Bth 1 Army forces the road to Pescara is barred by strong German defences, The road runs through one thousand feet high villages of Santa Maria and Foccacsia. Allied planes at present are successfully concentrating against these defences. A pall of black smoke hang s over German defences as a result of a day-long air bombardment yesterday. The Associated Press Algiers correspondent declares: “The last big water barrier, a sort of ‘backdoor to Rome,’ ha s been hurdled under the worst possible conditions, with heavy rain making the ground a quagmire.’ A Reuter correspondent with the Eighth Army stated:— Sappers throughout Friday night constructed bridges for the Sangro crossing. They encountered only spasmodic fire, bu. when dawn broke, German artillery opened up against the bridges which, were then completed. British advanced units crossed the bridges under a heavy barrage, and repelled bitter German counter-attacks and prepared the way for reinforcements. General Montgomery stated: "We have got what we wanted. It was a •very tough business, but the British soldiers have risen to great heights in the most appalling weather. Our bridgehead is secure.” Indian troops displayed great fighting qualities in battles across the Sangro. They beat down fierce opposition in this sector. The Bth Army has taken Montenegro, six miles south of Alfedena; also Caprecotta, six miles north-west of Agnone, and also Valcocchiaro, in the Campobasso Province. The Btli Army artillery in the Castel di Sangro area to-da v heavily pounded! the Germans, who are putting up a stiff resistance. Brisk skirmishes went on in the Alfedena area.

Vichy radio stated: Only bad weather has held up the launching of a British-American offensive. Everything indicates a general attack soon. The Allies assembled considerable forces south of the Sangro and Starigliano. , ± "Medium bombers, fighter-bombers and fighters co-operated with the Army in the battle area, attacking positions south of Lanciano and Fosseacia. Railways and industrial targets at Turin were attacked last night. Five enemy aircraft were destroyed. Four of our.s are missing.” RAID ON FIFTH ARMY FRONT. LONDON, Nov. 25. Patrolling and sharp artillery exchanges continue on the sth Army front, where rain is pouring down. It is not likely that the stalemate on this front will be ended until the weather clears. Allied headquarters . stated: r ittfi Army patrols were active. Enemy artillery was in action on both fronts. Bad weather continues. Fifty-four Massacred ALLEGATION AGAINST GERMANS. (Rec. 1.8.) LONDON, Nov. 26. The Germans massacred fifty-four men and boys at Bellona in the Naples province as a reprisal for killing one German soldier and woundinn- another who attempted to rape a young Italian girl. A British observation officer at Allied Headquarters at Algiers revealed that the German soldiers climbed a fence and approached the girl who was in the garden. The girl’s uncle and cousin heard screams after the Germans grabbed her. The uncle used a rifle against the Germans and the same night he and the girl’s cousin hid in ’the mountains. A company of German soldiers next morning- battered in every door in the village and herded all the male villages into the square, even drawing the Priest an Curate from Mass and driving out the Monks from the Monastery. The Germans gave the assembly two minutes to disclose the hiding place of the -’rl’s uncle and cousin. When the crowd refused to speak the Germans selected victims at random, and marched them to the quarry where they machine-gunned them.