Foggia’s Capture Makes All Germany Vulnerable

Northern Advocate, 30 September 1943, Page 3

Foggia’s Capture Makes All Germany Vulnerable

LONDON, Sept. 29

The capture of Foggia is one of the most important Allied successes in the war from a strategic viewpoint as it will bring Allied air forces nearer Germany and will permit air cover for all operations henceforth in Italy and the Adriatic coast area, especially northern Italy, said President Roosevelt. He added that he was not disclosing a military secret when he said, the German general staff had drawn circles round several strategic spots in Europe with Foggia in the centre, and added that heretofore a very large part of Germany had been sleeping outside the vulnerable area but now will not be able to do so. President Roosevelt said the victory stands out as a demonstration of complete co-op-eration betwen the Allied land, air and naval forces. Town Is No More Foggia has ceased to exist as a town, says Reuter’s correspondent in Southern Italy. If it is to rise again, it will have to be entirely rebuilt. As the Eighth Army tanks and armoured cars nosed into the outskirts of the town last night, the Germans blew up a large power-station, demolished every road crossing and sent high buildings crashing down across the streets in an attempt to block our advance. Foggia today is a mass of rubble, a jumble of tangled telephone wires and withered trees. An Algiers communique says that the Eighth Army continues to advance against weak resistance. The Fifth Army has driven the enemy from strong defensive positions in the mountains, west and north of Salerno and forced an appreciable withdrawal. Locomotives Captured The Germans left a large amount of rolling-stock, including 20 to 30 locomotives, on sidings outside Foggia, say correspondents at Allied headquarters. They mostly are undamaged. The main airfield is littered with wrecked planes. Almost every house is damaged and every street bomb-cra-tered. Eighth , Army units already have advanced considerably north cf the town.