WINTER LINE

Grey River Argus, 1 December 1943, Page 5

WINTER LINE

BREACHED IN ITALY BY THE EIGHTH ARMY Sunday’s Successful Crack FROM NORTH BANK OF SANGRO SURPRISE FOR, THE ENEMY [Aust. & N.Z. Press Assn.l LONDON, Nov. 29. A communique from Italy stated. British,. Indian and New Zealand troops of the Eighth Army have launched an attack from rhe Sang™ River bridgehead a S a \ nst CTrnl , nd to strongpoints on the high- ground to the north-west. Despite repeated counter-attacks in which the enemy used flame-throwers, our troops are making good progress. Heavy fighting continues and air support is ex cellent. T , -u.-. A correspnodent stated: Just before daylight an Sunday British, -Indian and New Zealand troops launch ed an attack which, as usual, . haa been preceded by an exceedingly heavy artillery barrage and bv fine co-operation from ithe An <Fo fee. with the result that the ene P?y , u ' a hard hit when General Montgomery sent in the infantry. in full daylight. The Eighth Army attack went on and many prisoners were taken, a large proportion °_ them being Poles and Frenchmen from Lorraine, who had been impressed into the German forces. A though the German positions were well fortified and strongly held, nearly all the prisoners were suffering demoralisation as a result of the shelling and bombing. By reaching these positions we have now struck at the outer edge of the enemv’s main winter defence line. The Germans were evidently prepared for a move of this sort, and launched a series of counter-at-tacks, during which thev used tanks and flame-throwers. They also used some 40 aircraft in four waves to strafe the advancing- troops. wave was intercepted and forced to jettison the bombs. A number of enemey aircraft were destroyed. The correspondent continued:— The Allied troops at the outset on Sunday met very little resistance, as they stole through the olive groves and vineyards towards rising ground. Some enemy machine-guns posted on the slopes were quickly eliminated. It was at dawn that the .German Mark Four tanks followed by Mark Threes on which flame-throwers were mounted, nosed their way through the village followed by infantry. A , building on the edge of the village went up in flames, as throwers sent out a stream of liquid fire towards our positions. A column of black smoke shot up from the river. The flame was a surprise for our troops. , but they were not perturbed, and were quite ready for the German infantry when they came through. Tlie Nazis were met by a fusilade which sent them scuttling back behind their tanks. Next the Germans tried their six-barrelled mortar "squeeze box” as our troops call it. , Mortar bombs burst on the edge of . the village, but failed to dislodge our , troops. Then our artillery took a ( hand, and soon upwards of 300 guns ; were flinging shells' on the enemy ( positions. The shells burst around the village, which was soon obscured bv smoke. Out of the clouds dived Kittyhawks strafing the enemy forward lines, while our medium bombers were unloading high explosives further back beyond the ridge. Fires sprang up as our bombers turned for home. Then the correspondent saw half- ~ a-dozen fighter-bombers diving from the clouds down to the valley. They were Germans, but there was little accuracy about their aim, and their bombs fell harmlessly as the Spitfires, which had maintained ceaseless patrol of the battle area, swooped down on the Germans. As the afternoon wore on the correspondent could see our shells bursting higher up the slopes, a sign that the Ger-, mans were pulling back and had had enough, of our guns. Success in the operations was the result of brilliant action and counteraction in the coastal area, where the Eighth Army not only strengthened the bridgehead but established _ a, second bridgehead some 14 miles inland and nine miles from the left flank of the first bridgehead. Great efforts were made in the last few days at Archi. and it was the result of these operations that Sunday’s successes were obtained. After establishing the bridgehead the troops advanced into high ground north of the river. Here the Germans threw in a heavy counter-attack, and the Troops lost some of the high ground. They attacked again and not only succeeded in recovering the ground lost but advanced further. ADVANCE ON 5-MILE FRONT. TO EDGE OF GERMAN DEFENCE LINE. (Rec. 6.30) LONDON, Nov. 29. Messages from Algiers state that the Eighth Army advanced on a fivemile front. It is now fighting fiercely within the outer edge of the main German defence line. Its move in establishing a second bridgehead at Archi resulted in violent German counter-attacks. The Eighth Army drove them off, and then re-attacked, re-establishing its position, and enlarging original gains. It is pointed out that capture of the bridgehead in the Archi area threatens a lateral highway behind the German front. The Eighth Army has taken many prisoners. They appear to have been demoralised by the heavy bombardment. i A correspondent on the Eightn Army front stated: "As we watched from an artillery observation post, on Sunday a whole German ridge danced madly in a non-stop eruption. As the sun set the Germans haa given up more vital ground. German positions were veiled in smoke, which showed up against the glistening snow on the Apennines. Another correspondent stated: — The Eighth Army surprised the Germans and the force that carried out the operation in the early hours was up to German outposts before the enemv was aware of its presence. Our forces burst through these outposts and the Germans who were not killed were taken prisoners. Some of the fighting was fierce, while it lasted, but our forces never gave the enemy a real chance to recover from the initial surprise. Our troops afterwards pushed further into the hills. In the coastal sector, however, there was very bitter fighting against the Germans, who rushed up fresh reinforcements equipped with flame-throwers and tanks, and at the first I'ght of dawn counter-at-tacked against our forces on the sloping ground between the bridgehead and the main defences, ground which our forces had occupied during the night. Fierce fighting went on all day, with our troops' grimlyswaying backwards .and forwards in

• and around a village which nestles just below the ridge on which is the German "winter line.” From 'dawn to dusk the battle surged up and down the slope with the Germans putitng in everything in an endeavour to drive back our troops. This was the first time the enemy had used either flame-throwers or tanks on the Sangro; they also threw in I most of the air. support available. N.Z. Troops Fighting IN SANGRO BATTLE "~RUGBY, Nov. 29. Veterans of five campaigns, New Zealanders are again in the Eighth Army’s battle line, this time as one of the strongest and best equipped Allied fighting forces yet landed in Europe, writes a correspondent in the Middle East. Rested and refitted after 12 months’ continuous fighting during the Battle of Egypt, then in Tunis, they crossed the Mediterranean for the first time since they landed in Greece, two and a-half years ago. Secretly in the Middle East, they prepared for long forced marches and close country fighting. Added to the force of infantry, which fought 2000 miles across North Africa, is now armoured strength. For the first time, New Zealanders are in action in Italy, as crews of heavy American tanks. They are probably the first battle-experienced infantry of the British Army to fight in tanks. Profiting by the experience of other desert divisions, which fought with the Eighth Army through the Sicilian campaign, New Zealanders have concentrated on training on moving long distances without transport, as they had been accustomed to doing in the two years’ desert war. Some weeks ago they marched from Cairo to the Western Desert, 150 miles, in a few days. Still commanded by the battle-scarred General Freyberg, V.C., the New Zealanders are now reputed as the most fastmoving and hard-hitting of the fight- - ing forces in Allied ranks. General Montgomery used them once .again as the major part of his shock troops with which he hoped to make . a break-through in the new offensive. BRITISH INFANTRY IN MUD LIKE FLANDERS IN LAST WAR. (Rec. 10.40) LONDON'. Nov. 30. The “Daily Telegraph” correspondent at an advanced airfield on the Eighth Army front reporting on Sunday stated; British infantry in forward positions on Saturday were knee-deep and even waist-deep in mud that was reminiscent of Flanders. They cheered as waves of bombers passed overhead in an intensified attack against enemy positions. It was from the skies that the most complete picture of grim, desolate settings of our push were obtained. Pilots here give a vivid description of a macabre panorama. “We take off our hats to the infantry,” said a Kitty-bomber pilot, Flight Sergeant T. A. Gillard, of Morrinsville, as he returned from an attack against a road leading northward from the battlefront. Sgt. Gillard and a fellow pilot, Flight Sergeant O. C. P. Cross (Auckland) told me the River Sangro was like a dirty yellow ribbon over a countryside which days of rain had churned into a morass. HOT BRITISH BARRAGE. (Rec. 9.10) LONDON, Nov. 29. A British United Press correspondent with the Eighth Army states: On Sunday British guns laid down_ a scarifying barrage that smotherea all German conceptions of blitz warfare. Nazi soldiers on the north bank ot the Sangro River went through hell. threat TO ENEMY supply ROAD HIGH POSITIONS MENACED (Rec 1.5) LONDON, Nov. 30 The Bari (South Italy) radio stated- The Eighth Army’s offensive has .already broken through the German 'winter line, and captured its main positions. Reinforcements are being rushed up in strength for the Bth. Army’s drive. ~ . The British United Press, Algiers correspondent stated: The Germans are facing two immediate threats, a severance of the main supply road running behind the Sangro Rwer inland from the Adriatic, and tne loss of dominating high ground. .BRITISH FORCES VERY LARGE (Rec. 12.5) LONDON, Nov. 30. The Rome radio stated: Huge British forces are attacking Sangro River positions. GERMANS PREPARE ■ FOR FIFTH ARMY OFFENSIVE. (Rec. 12.5) LONDON, Nov. 30. The British United Press Madrid correspondent stated: According to reports from the Italian frontier, the Germans are hourly expecting a new Fifth Army attack with twelve divisions, in the Garigliano sector. The Germans have mined great areas deep behind their lines, this indicating that they have no great hopes of being able to hold on to their former winter line. HARDER GOING. LONDON, Nov: 29. The latest report of the batile in Italy says that the Eighth Army is up against strong defences in the attacks between the bridgeheads, nine miles apart, but has made good progress. GERMAN RESISTANCE, FIERCE AND EFFICIENT. (Rec. 12.5.) LONDON, Nov. 30 According to the latest reports the are fighting bitterly to retain their strategic positions in the hills north of the Sangro River. Loss of their main suonly road would force the Germans back on to inferior routes to the rear. The Columbia (U.S.) Broadcasting System’s Algiers correspondent reports: “The German resistance is fierce, resourceful and efficient ” Flame Throwers USED AGAINST INDIANS. (Rec. 9.10) LONDON, Nov. 29. A British United Press correspondent with the Eighth Army says: “On Tuesday the Germans threw in flamethrowing tanks against Gurkhas during a battle lasting many hours, for a key village on the enemy-held ridge The Indians started to attack under a thunderous barrage. They stormed up a valley, ano drove Nazi forces from strong points after bitter street fighting. The Indians threw rifles aside and unsheathed curved kukris. They struck terror into the enemy. The Germans thereupon sent in the flame-throwing tanks against the Indians. rhe. Indians were forced to retire befoie a flaming wall. FIFTH ARMY LONDON. Nov. 29. ; On the Fifth Army front German ’artillery fire greatly increased. In • the area beyond Venafro the enemy

made a strong counter-attack, which the Americans repulsed. In tne north our troops made progress, capturing important ground, sending out numerous patrols. Fifth Army patrols are active gaining valuable information and taking prisoners. Though our troops were subjected to heavy enepiy shelling in some sectors and an infantry attack at one point, their lines remained unchanged. (Rec. 6.30) LONDON, Nov. 29. 'Algiers Radio states that Fifth Army forces advanced over a mile beyond Mount Aquilla in the Upper Volturno Valley. ALLIED AIR ACTIVITY LONDON. Nov. 29. A North Africa air communique states that heayy bombers yesterday attacked a railway viaduct and tunnel at B'ogna, north of Trieste. Medium bombers attacked shipping in the harbours of Dubrovnik and Zara. Large forces of medium and light bombers, fighter-bombers and fighters attacked targets on the ground in the battle area, a very Accurate concentration being obtained. Fight-er-bombers also attacked transport and other military targets north of Rome. Bombers last night successfully attacked airfields at Cumpino. NAVAL BOMBARDMENTS RUGBY. Nov. 29. A North Africa Navy communique says His Majesty’s destroyers Quillam and Loyal, operating in the Adriatic on Thursdav night, carried out a short bombardment of Civitanova, 20 miles south of Ancona. On the west coast of Italy on Saturday, enemy positions in the Minturno area, north of the Volturno River, were successfully bombarded bv the British cruiser Orion and the destroyers Troubridge. Paladin and Teazer. N.Z.E.F. Hospital FULLY ESTABLISHED IN SOUTH ITALY. (N.Z.E.F. Official Correspondent). SOUTHERN ITALY, Nov. 28. The already much-travelled Second N.Z.E.F. general hospital has once a"ain unpacked its belongings many miles from its previous location It is now fullv established in a city in Southern Italy. This same hosnital went with the New Zealand Division to Svria and quartered in splendid buildings and surroundings near Beirut. For the past seven months it has been near Tripoli in North Africa under canvas. The majority of the patients, were British as the Division moved back to Egypt soon after the hospital’s arrival. Now the hosnital is quartered in modern buildings comparable with those of a civil hosnital in New Zealand. Immediately on arrival the whole staff, including Sister s and W.A.A.C.s began cleaning and scrubbing the place. By night on the fourth day two hundred beds were available anct X-ray plants, laboratory, dispensary, and operating threatres were ready. Work is progressing rapidly. The corridors and wide wards have high ceilings. Unfortunately there are no lifts and there will be much stair work conveying patient? to the up per storeys. Electric light, wate suddlv. and. drainage are in use. l The Sisters & W.A.A.C.S.’ quarters in part of the two-storeyed trative buildings are still to be com pleted. They will five two, three and four in a room. The h °sP“ al buildings will have more roomy basements which will be used for storage purposes. . ■ Much organisation is I \ e o c ? ssa l L„”J setting up a fully-equipped m litary hospital, but when I visited this one a few davs ago I found the patien s comfortably installed and the hospital routine working smoothly. General Frevberp- has taken a great interest in starting this hospital and paid several visits. • ' >

carAPE OF 200 N.Z. PRISONERS. escape ELLINGTON( No y. 29. The' Prisoners of War Inquiry Office has 1 supplied the following analysis of the situation regarding New Zealand prisoners of war held m Italian camps:— Number of men transferred to camps in Germany. 750; safe in Switzerland, 69; safe with Allied forces, 143; not yet accounted for, 2620. . , These figures are based on information to date, and reports are constantly being received of men transferred to Germany, safe in Switzerland. or with the Allied forces. Before the fall of Italy, the approximate number of New Zealanders in Italian camps was 3580.