EIGHTH ARMY PUSH

Grey River Argus, 4 December 1943, Page 5

EIGHTH ARMY PUSH

THROUGH ENEMY LINE But Front Not Broken - [Aust. &. N.Z. Press Assn.] (Rec. 10.51) LONDON, Dec. 2. “The Times” military correspondent says: There are persistent reports of a “break through” on the Eignth Army front, but tnere is still no solid evidence confirm the reports. Tne number of prisoners thusfar capturd is small for a' front of this extent, even if had been lightly held, as this one undoubtedly was. An obvious interpretation of the Eighth Army push is what might be called a oreaking through a fortified fine, but not a breaking through a front. Those who range ahead of the news lay up for themselves disappointment. LONDON, Dec. 2.

The Bth Army has completed capture of all the German defensive positions on the ridge north of the Sangro. A communique from Allied headquarters in Italy stated: “Our advance continues. In a day of fierce fighting several vigorous German counter-attacks were thrown back, and more than 1000 prisoners were taken."

In a further advance up the coast from the mouth of the Sangro the Sth Army captured the village of Rocca San Giovanni.

A special Allied communique stated: “Our troops on the Bth Army front have broken through the enemy positions. The enemy is. in full retreat. He is rushing up reinforcements from Northern Italy. We have captured Fossacesia and Remagnoli Ridge after a day of heavy fighting. Determined enemy counterattacks launched with fresh troops were thrown back with heavy losses of his men and material. This fighting for Fossacesia was particularly fierce. Our aircraft furnished splendid close support. San Giovanni, two miles from the sea, has been captured and the advance continues.” In fierce hand-to-hand fighting, yard-by-yard, Eighth Army troops are dislodging the enemy on a 25mile front, pressing him back to Pescara and mopping up enemy resistance centres. Reuter’s Algiers correspondent stated- The Eighth Army is on the outskirts of Castel Frentano, about eight miles inland and four miles north of the Sangro River. The Germans here are resisting bitterly. The British break-through to. Castel Frentano and Rocca San Giovanni (two miles inland and four miles north of the Sangro) represents a general advance of about three miles. The Eighth Army is also on the outskirts of Casoli, 14 miles inland. Its men are encountering the German "last ditch” detachments who have been ordered to delay the Eighth Armv as long as possible to cover the German retreat northwards from the main Winter line defences. The German withdrawal, however, is not a rout It is slow and stubborn. The Germans are making full use of demolitions and minefields. Casoli represents a three miles advance from the Archi bridgehead. Its capture would cut at a new point of leeder road which loops to Sangro from Lanciano. The Germans are being forced to abandon guns and m The correspondent adds: The Germans are bringing up reserves from Nortffi Italy to Chieti. Allied planes “ambushing” the reserves as they are brought from Chieti to the battle area. Our planes destr^ d teen lorries of one convoy and dam X many others. Besides more than a thousand, prisoners thus fa captured as the result of the new Eighth Arm v push, many wounded are lying in Alh ® d Great stores of guns and equipme were also seized.. c t n t or i- It Another correspondent stated. R took four days’ heavy lighting by the British, Indian and New inn I troops to make a definite breakLffi’ough in the German defensive In e Our advance on Wednesday penetrated to a depth, of three irules the enemv retreating in orderly man ner and relying on dem olitions a ■ most entirely to hamper the pursuit, which was further hampered by heavy rain We have taken San Govanffi village, four miles north of the Rano-ro and reached the outskirts or Castel Frentano, where the Germans ar The U N3 S E S F nS offlclal correspondent states In the earlier operations, New Zealand infantry were among those who crossed the Sangro and thiu-t well into the enemy P OB1 * 1 obstacles were many, but the men took them in their stride to an amazing advance culties of the terrain Casualties were trivial. In complete darkness the men moved forward from positions they had occupied foi some days between the road and the, river Ahead, across the gravel beds ana the swiftly flowing stream, were the rising heights of the first objectives. As the niPht wore on towards early morning, chilling ram and u e rising river added to the hazards. Piacuto our starting line actually on the en emv side of the Sangro offered we advantage of a silent d ] parations the Previous night included running lines across the nvei, ana these proved invaluable, as swirling mountain water deepened during the night. The laden men found the foothold slippery. As it was the current caused some to lose their balance, but in silence the opnosite side was won. On the starting sole interference came from a Spandau, which fired a few ineffectual bursts before the crew dieted that the Place was unhealthy Our own artillery barrage crashed and rolled from the mountain valld .y B as the battalions commenced the slow sloggiim advance. The enemy apparently had little liking for the Sm work in the darkness and ram, for soon the first prisoners began to be token. The main task in the prevailing blackness was to hold d rec tion and to make any progress ; at all over the slippery rock and mud suiface’ but amazingly our troops continued to do both, and also to gather in many prisoners. These prisoners became a problem as their numbets grew for soon one formation found itself' burdened with 100 Germans and another with 60. Objectives feL ouicklv as the sky lightened,, and shortlv after dawn success signals were being flashed to headquarters. Light found the troops firmly established on high ground facing the still greater heights held by the ' enemy, but with the formidable bar rier of the Sangro behind them. Up to the time of writing no counterattack worthy of the name has developed, though the forward positions are subiect to some mortar fire. An hour after dawn the. men saw a direct gun bit on a boat intended for ' the use of the troops, but transport ' moved freelv on a nearby bridge, in snite of enemv air efforts. The infantry cheered this morning when a Messerschmitt was winged by a Spit- 1

fire, and there has been much more cheering this afternoon.

’‘FLYING MICAWBERS.”

(Rec. 10.70) LONDON, Dec. 3. A “Daily Telegraph" correspond, ent at a forward Mediterranean an base says: £ ‘A unique band of New Zealand, Australian, English and Canadian airmen is operating from tne Mediterranean, known as the Independent Air Force," because it is under no one’s orders, paving a roving commission to stir up what trouble it can find. These young daredevils flash over enemy' areas in Italy in Mosquitoes.. The Irish commanding officer admitted that his aeronauts fly so low tnat their chief danger is the mountainous terrain. He said. “We are flying Micawbers. V/e are patiently stooging around, waiting for something to turn up. Wc like trains bssf,"

Fifth Army BEATS OFF ENEMY ATTACK. LONDON, December 2. The Fifth Armv has repulsed two enemy counter.-attacks. “The Times’s” Algiers correspondent says the Americans in the central sector of the Fifth Army’s front south-west of Mignano, beat off a new German counter-attack. The German News Agency say' that Americans of the Fifth Army in the Cassino area strongly attacked vesterdav and succeeded in penetrating the German defences at Scapoli. The Germans successfully counterattacked and captured many prisoners. * Algiers radio says the Allied bombers without interference, supported the operations of the Fifth Army front nnd pounded German defences for three hours. The 34th American Division, which was the first to land in North Africa, is fighting with the Fifth Army. , . Light bombers, fighter-bombers and fighters attacked ground positions m the battle area and communications in the rear. Licht bombers on Tuesday night attacked enemv communications, while railway yards at Pontass’eve. which is a junction 11 miles east of Florence on the line running from the south to Rome, was bombed. In the course of operations, an enemy aircraft was destroyed. Fortresses, escorted by long-ianu fighters vesterdav attacked the Turin ball-bearing works'. Bombs COVGI the entire target area and large fire, and explosions were seen. _ Bight. oi 12 enemy fighters vainly tried to intercept. and two were shot ou” fighters and bombers retuinea A Navv communique states tna • United States natrol boat?; engaged - number of E-boats near Bas-a (Corsica) on Tuesday night, damaging one U-boat and probably damaging another.