Eighth Army Makes Surprise Landing On Adriatic Side

Northern Advocate, 5 October 1943, Page 3

Eighth Army Makes Surprise Landing On Adriatic Side

(Rec. 12.30 p.m.) LONDON. Oct. 4. The German retreat north of Naples continues. The Fifth Army is still contacting the enemy. Meanwhile, Eighth Army forces, which Berlin radio describes as “major,” made a surprise landing

j at Termoli (on the Adriatic coast I about 50 miles north-west of Foggia), 17 miles ahead of the main British forces. I The main force quickly moved up to ijoin the invaders, who repelled Gerjman counter-attacks and took prisoners.

The Fifth-Army’s right flank is making satisfactory progress and, according to Algiers radio, enemy resistance is Weakening after the Allied crossing of Calore River. The radio says the | Allies captured Cajazzo, 10 miles S north-east of Benevento. increasing the outflanking threat to the Volturno line. Our air reconnaissances have not given an indication when and where the Germans will make a stand. It is believed in Algiers that the chances of a stand on the Volturno River are re-! mote, but, if attempted, a stand is! | very likely to be brief. I The Allied air forces today knocked! |out the vital bridge of Capua, over! |which the Germans were withdrawing.j I Reuter’s correspondent at Allied! | headquarters says the battle-front to- j | night gives a picture of a masterly! | strategic plan swinging into action. It I |is Kesselring against Alexander, andj Alexander is scoring all along the line. The Germans, who are falling back! slowly in the direction of Rome, are being gravely outflanked by the Eighth Army’s leap-frog to Termoli and sixjmile advance along the cross Appei nines road.

Kesselring’s position in the west is even worse, adds Reuter. The success of the Fifth Army in storming across Calore River, north of Benevento, must shatter any hope Kesselring still had of standing on the Volturno line. However, German resistance is stiffening along the front, demolitions are increasing, and it is a hard battle.

Termoli a Terminus

The Eighth Army's landing at Termoli was apparently made under cover of darkness. It put the Allied forces considerably ahead of their main forces (which, however, joined up later in the day. The Germans were surprised at the landings but resisted strongly and after the town fell they vigorously but unsuccessfully counterattacked.

According to Berlin radio’s commentator (Captain Sertorius), the Allies have landed about 1000 men in this “seaborne enveloping manoeuvre.” The Algiers correspondent of the British United Press points out the importance of Termoli not only as a small port but the intersection of the Adriatic coastal road and highway westward across the Appenine range. It is also the Adriatic terminus of the railway from Benevento. Moreover, farther along the coast are parallel roads running inland similarly as from Termoli and what has been achieved at Termoli can be achieved at one or several of these points. Further landings would place the Eighth Army in position to menace the German rear and force much quicker withdrawals.

It has been disclosed that a further 133 abandoned enemy planes were found on airfields in Italy south of the battle line, making a total of 377. Despite enforced delays the Fifth Army is now well on its way tcHvards Volturno River from Naples, says a correspondent with the Fifth Army.

Configuration of the country, particularly the dorsal mountain spine, will probably enable the Germans to hold the Volturno line for some time despite the Eighth Army's progress on the Adriatic coast.

Road conditions, he gays, are appalling. Bridges have been blown and roads cratered and obstructed in every conceivable fashion. This country is reasonably well wooded with trees of considerable size. Along the roadside the Germans have felled these trees with charges of explosives ,in many cases creating road blocks which will take time to shift. There is one long road where these trees are still standing. The quick advance of our forces drove the enemy bade before the charges could be fired and the explosives can still be seen attached to trunks.