NEW ZEALANDERS ON ARNO

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 15 August 1944, Page 2

NEW ZEALANDERS ON ARNO

POSITIONS FIRMLY CONSOLIDATED PARTISAN FORCES REINFORCED (Rcc. 12.10 p.m.) London, Aug. 14. New Zealanders are now fighting to clear the banks of the Arno river between Empolj and Florence, says Reuter’s correspondent at Allied Headquarters in Italy. They have firmly consolidated their positions at Empoli. British light detachments entered central Florence to-day. They received a great welcome from the inhabitants who were exceedingly relieved. Partisan f(*rces have been reinforced by adequately armed regulars. The Germans are ensconced in strongpoints near a railway station in the north-western part of Florence, also the English cemetery on the eastern edge of the city. Partisans before the entry of British forces had begun to express impatience that they were expected to hold the line against machine-guns and armoured cew*s with small arms and a scarcity of ammunition and food. The situation is visibly improving, but the plight of Florence is illustrated by the fact that the dead must be conveyed to cemeteries in handcarts. Families struggle v/ith bottles around every street hydrant.