Fifth Army Now Only Few Miles From Naples Plain

Northern Advocate, 29 September 1943, Page 3

Fifth Army Now Only Few Miles From Naples Plain

(Rec. 1 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 28 Although advancing less spectacularly than the Eighth Army, whose capture of Foggia will have, perhaps, immediate important results, the Fifth Army has also fought forward on its whole front, yesterday making Kesselring’s position in the Naples area markedly worse. The Fifth Army is now only a few miles from the Naples plain. They are already on the hills dominating Nocera, from which the Germans have withdrawn to a position on the far side, looking down on the village. British troops have thrust forward about two miles in terrible country north of Salerno, says Reuter’s correspondent at Allied headquarters. The Germans still hold higher mountain positions about three miles south-west of Nocera. Fierce fighting is progressing at Caramel Pass, which must be opened up before armour can be utilised. This pass commands the neck of Sorrento Peninsula, and from it the road swings north-west to Nocera, where it drops to the open plain. The Germans are fighting hard and the battle is assuming the character of a race against the rains. Our immediate aim is to reach the plain before the ground is too soft for armour, but no quick victory is expected when the plain is reached, if the Germans decide to fight, because, guarding Naples are two bottle-necks around Vesuvius—a narrow one on the seaward side and a broader, but still awkward one, inland.

British navy guns are shelling the German lines at the base of Vesuvius, says a correspondent of the British United Press at an observation overlooking Naples. The Fifth Army continues its advance today west of Vesuvius. Kesselring has evacuated Nocera, says the “Daily Express” correspondent in a despatch late tonight from Allied headquarters, and adds that this may indicate that the Fifth Army has broken through into Naples plain. Outflanking Naples

Algiers radio tonight stated that the German retreat on the eastern sector is continuing. It also stated that the Eighth Army, in the central sector, occupied Venosa, about 10 miles east of Melfi, whose capture was reported earlier.

The British United Press says the Allies’ thrust in the central sector threatens to cut off from Kesselring’s main body all German troops remaining on the plain of Foggia and the. hilly country east of Ihe main Appenine chain. This thrust is also out- ! flanking German positions in Naples. A strong Eighth Army mobile armoured corps, supported by the air force, raced 25 miles to capture Foggia after a bloody encounter, in which the Germans suffered the heaviest casualties. The enemy, once again, was taken by surprise. It is difficult to see how the Germans can avoid a general withdrawal northwards unless it has been decided to continue fighting at Salerno to give more time for further destruction of port installations at Naples. Reuter says the Germans are intensifying efforts to wreck Naples as the Allies thrust nearer. Air photographs show they are sinking _ ships and carrying out demolitions daily. The “Daily Express” military writer (Mr. Morley Richards) says that the Germans are failing back on the hills north of Salerno to avoid being outflanked by the Eighth Army. The desperate defence of the mountainous approaches to Naples is not an attempt to hold the city but is planned to give the main German forces time to escape the Eighth Army’s clutches. As the Eighth Army moves in, the chain of airfields around Foggia will add greatly to the weight of attack on ihe enemy rear. Some military observers in London believe that the Germans may soon withdraw the whole of their forces from southern and central Italy and man the River Po defences. Today’s German communique says that the British and Americans have landed new forces in southern Italy. Their pressure has increased considerably. The communique claims that German troops in Foggia area disengaged according to plan and withdrew to prepared mountain positions. Foggia was evacuated after destruction of all important war communications, adds the communique. Berlin radio’s version of the Foggia evacuation says that German rearguards attacked tlie British in. the forefield of the town from the front and from the flanks. The British suffered considerable casualties during ja day of fierce fighting, in which their !advance was completely stopped. The evacuated ground has been, thoroughly imined.

20 Miles From Naples Allied forces last night were less than 20 miles from both Naples and Foggia, the two prizes of the present phase of the Italian campaign. Kesselring’s army, while trying to hold up General Montgomery’s men in the approaches to Naples, is pulling out rapidly along the rest of its line. The Algiers correspondent of “The Times” says the Fifth Army’s advance west and north of Salerno continued steadily, thought the pace was slowed by the necessity of mopping up enemy strong-points and repairing bridges and roads. Seven days’ arduous fighting on the eastern sector was rewarded by the capture of the villages of Calabritto and Cassano dominating an important .network of roads. Our troops today are consolidating their positions and organising supply routes across the difficult, mountainous country. Fighting in the bare mountains forming the barrier between Salerno and* Naples Plain is being decided in bitter, 'close-quarter struggles, says Reuter’s correspondent at Allied Headquarters. The bayonet is the only weapon with which the enemy can be dislodged from hide-outs to which he has obviously been ordered to cling'to the end. Reuter adds that the Eighth Army has two more rivers to cross before reaching Foggia. These are the Carapelle and Ceraro. They might be used for a stand, but no serious‘opportunity is expected as the countryside is against the defenders. The British United Press points out that the' Fifth Army’s thrust up the Sele Valley is now within a few miles of the line from Evellino to Foggia, which the enemy probably has been using for--switching troops from one seetdr to the other. German forces are falling back on the whole line by the double threat from the Eighth Army and the right wing of the Fifth Army. Fifth Army Uses Tanks The Fifth Army is throwing iri tanks in support of a strong attack launched at Naples while Allied warships which, according to Berlin reports, moved yesterday from Salerno bay to the Gulf of Naples, are shelling the enemy on land, says Vichy radio. Morrocco radio says that the Allies in a sudden thrust supported tanks and. stormed important enemy positions, north of Salemb. Columbia broadcasting system's Al* •.* \ :

giers correspondent reports the capturing of several key positions in the mountainous north-eastern sector of the Salerno front

Fifth Army units are reported to have outflanked some German troops defending Naples. Foggia Captured

It is officially announced that Foggia has been captured. - .

An Algiers communique says: “The Eighth Army’s advance continues north of the Ofahto River.

Foggia was captured with considerable enemy casualties. The Fifth Army advanced and captured limited objectives.

- Tunis radio says that an Algiers spokesman said that the initiative of the battle for Naples is firmly in our hands and the Germans are being continually .pushed back.