FALLING BACK

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 29 September 1943, Page 2

FALLING BACK

GERMANS IN SALERNO AREA EVACUATION OF NOVERA NAVli* SHELLING ENEMY LINES^ (Rec. 12.30 p.m.) London, Sept. 28. : Algiers radio to-night stated that the German retreat in the eastern fcet'tor is continuing, and also stated that the Eighth Army in the central sector occupied Venosa, about ten miles east of Melfi, whose capture was reported earlier. The British United Press says the lies’ thrust in the central sector threatens to cut off from General vOtt Kessclrings main body all German troops remaining on the plain of Foggia and the hilly country east of the mam Appenineg chain. This thrust is also outflanking German positions in Naples. A strong Eighth Army mobile armoured corps supported by the Air Force raced 25 miles to capture Foggia affer a bloody encounter in which the Germans suffered the heaviest casualties. The 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’s correspondent says the Germans are intensifying their efforts-'to wreck Naples as the Allies thrust nearer. Air photographs show they are sinking ships and carrying out demolitions daily. General von Kesselring evacuated Novera. says the ‘Daily Express” correspondent in a dispatch late to-night from Allied headquarters, and adds that this may indicate that the Fifth Army has broken through into the Naples plain. Navy guns are shelling German liqes at the base of Vesuvius, says the British United Press correspondent at an observation post overlooking Naples. The Fifth Army continued to advance to-day west of Vesuvius. • desperate defence Morley Richards, the “Daily Express” military writer, says the Germans are falling 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 the attack on the enemy rear. Some military observers in London believe the Germans m;\- soon withdraw the whole of their forces from southern and central Italy and man the river Po defences. To-day’s German communique says British and Americans landed new; forces in southern Italy and their pressure increased considerably. The communique claims that German troops in the Foggia area disengaged according to plan and withdrew to prepared mountain positions. Foggia was evacuated alter the destruction of all important war communications adds the communique. Berlin radio’s version of the Foggia evacuation says German rearguards attacked the Eritish in the airfield of the town from the front and from the flanks. The British suffered considerable casualties during a dary of fierce fighting, in which their advance was completely stopped. The evacuated ground had been thoroughly mined. GERMANS EVACUATE ALERI A (Rec. 1.20 p.m.) Rugby, Sept. 28. In Corsica the Germans have evacuated Aleria on the east coast, 40 miles south of Bastia. This means that all they 4iold of Corsica is a stretch of coast some 40 miles long, varying in width from a few miles to about 20. t