HEIGHTS TAKEN

Grey River Argus, 11 August 1944, Page 5

HEIGHTS TAKEN

BY EIGHTH ARMY In Centre and East LAus. & N.Z. Press Assn.) (Rec. 12.10.) LONDON, August 10. The Allied communique from Italy on Thursday states: East of Florence, British troops of the Eighth Army, in operations designed to clear up pockets of enemy resistance on high ground south of Pontassieve, have driven the Germans from a number of important heights. The major activity has shifted from Florence -area to north of Arezzo. .Grillo was there occupied. The enemy front lines tried to retake Grillo, an important height. Other enemy counter-attacks were launched against our positions on tne hills east of the Upper. Arno, but were successfully repulsed. Another hill feature south of the Arno, west of Pontassieve, was taken.

Polish troops of the Eighth Army in the Adriatic sector captured two important features dominating high ground between the Misa and Cesano Rivers. They have driven off several determined enemy counter-attacks. Activity on the remainder of the front continues to be confined to patrolling. Medium forces of escorted heavy bombers yesterday attacked an oil refinery at Almasfuzito, an assemply plant at Gyor, airfields at Vecses and Tohol (Hungary). Others attacked railway yards at Brod. Tactical ’planes attacked airfields and. bridges and other military objectives in northern Itaiy Yugoslavia and the battle area. Our bombers last night attacked military objectives at Polesti. One enemy ’plane was destroyed in these operations. Fifteen of our ’planes are missing. The Mediterranean Air Force flew approximately 1,700 sorties. The Germans, in an effort to impede the double out-flanking of Florence, have blown up another bridge, four miles west of the city and south oi Signa. Empoli, on the west bank ot the siege line, is still in no man s land, but Eighth Army troops, yesterday, captured Monte Lupo, 11 miles west of Florence. The enemy is still occupying the pocket between the Arno and the Highway 67 from Empoli to Monte Lupo. A British patrol east 01: Florence, with strong artillery support, captured the monastery-crowned summit of Monte Pilli in the Arno River loop, and held it against a strong counter-attack. The Germans’ destruction of electric power, inside Florence has resulted in a widespread black market tor water. Some Florentines are selling water at about 54 pence per bottle Fierce fighting continues tor tne commanding features in the mountains north of Arezzo. General Sir H. Maitland Wilson revealed that Allied Headquarters m July moved from Algiers to Italy, The transference of the headquarters took 19 days.

POLISH-ITALIAN ADVANCE

A GERMAN WITHDRAWAL EAST OF FLORENCE.

(Rec. 1.15) LONDON, Aug.lo. A Reuter correspondent at Allied advanced headquarters in Italy says. Opening a new attack in the Adriatic sector yesterday morning, Polish and Italian troops of the E ghth Army captured the first objective, the town of Francavilla, a mile south of the Cesano River, which flows into the Adriatic Sea. The offensive made good progress. It has withstood several counter-attacks. Germans east of Florence were forced to withdraw main body troops on the Arno bend to the north side of the river. British troops hold all ground south of the river in this area. The Germans now only have patrols stabbing occasionally across the river. Churchill tanks demonstrated hill-climbing ability by clearing a monastery capped crest east of Florence yesterday. Directly the monastery garrison was liquidated, the Churchill tanks brought a heavy fire to bear on two German counterattacks, both of wh’ch were repulsed. Canadians in Florence, aided by 250 partisans, cleared out hostile Fascists." About 150 men and women were found in possession of small arms and grenades. They were arrested. Leghorn harbour has been swept clear" of mines, and now has been opened for receiving supplies for Allied forces along the Arno.