Bad Weather May Hold Up Italian Drive

Northern Advocate, 2 October 1944, Page 3

Bad Weather May Hold Up Italian Drive

(Rec. 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 1. The weaiher in Italy, is giving the Germans an unexpected breathing space, says the Rome correspondent of the “Daily Mail.” The Allies may have a close race with the rains in the bid to drive across the Plains of Lombardy to the Alps. The rains at present are bogging down men and machines and baulking the Bth Army from tne early fruits of its triumph in surmounting the last Apennine peak, and the sth Army of its victory in the Gothic Line. The Autumn break in the weather has come earlier than usual, and there is a fairly good chance that it will be temporary, giving one more dry spell enabling both armies to finish their task. The next two or three weeks will be decisive. The British United' Press correspondent says that the Allied advance on the eastern half of the front continues despite bad weather. Fierce fighting developed a few miles north of the Rubicon River. The sth Army is now 17 miles from Bologna after advancing three miles today. The Allies a few miles eastward on parallel roads to Imola and Forli, have gained ground. The Germans have used elements of at least three divisions of flame-throwers and heavy artillery in a counter-attack against Monte Battaglia. Identification of prisoners showed that reinforcements had been rushed from other sectors, but despite all German efforts, the attack was beaten off.

New Zealand Front

New Zealanders on the Adriatic have established a 400 yards front along the*. Fiumicino River about 10 miles beyond Rimini. Other Bth Army elements, in face of furious German counterattacks, had to give up a small bridgehead across the Fiumicino, west-north-west of Rimini. Heavy rain prevented large-scale operations in the Adriatic. The sth Army in Central Italy is driving deep into the salient towards Bologna from which they are 19 miles. The Germans were forced to pull out to avoid being trapped. Ihe weather on Friday so severely restricted Mediterranean Air Force operations that only 60 sorties were carried out. Heavy and medium bombers did not operate. Fighterbombers cut the railways in 17 places south of Milan and destroyed rolling stock.

The Rome correspondent of the Columbia Broadcasting System says that the Allied advance in Italy has almost halted with the Germans counterattacking in many sectors. A headquarters spokesman said: “We held a majority of the counter-attacks, but in the Adriatic German infantry and armour have thrown back the Bth Army from some forward positions in the muddy lower reaches of the Po Valley.” Heavy German Opposition

The 3th Army, as a result of the occupation ol' Savignano, cleared more than six mill's of the eastern bank of Fiumeino River from the mouth inland. Heavy rain continues. The Germans arc stilt heavily opposing the slh Army’s hoid on Monte Bataglia. On Saturday they used flamethrowers to support an unsuccessful infantry counter-attack. The Germans an; being reinforced in this area. Despite bad weather British and American forces of the sth Army progressed in the central sector, says an Italy communique. Americans of the sth Army have driven off a further strong counterattack against Monti; Baglia. Although major operations are still impossible in the Adriatic. The Btn Army cleared the town of Savignano and improved some positions east of the town.

The sth Army is fanning out towards Bologna and, according to Algiers radio, is within nine miles of Imola on the Ri-mini-Bologna highway;