UPPER VOLTURNO

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25364, 23 October 1943, Page 5

UPPER VOLTURNO

FIFTH ARMY ADVANCE MOUNTAIN POSITIONS TAKEN GERMAN DELAYING TACTICS (Rec. 1 nitii LONDON, Oct. 22. The Fifth Army continues to fight its way forward on the line of the Upper Volturno Valley and has advanced nearly five miles. It has captured two mountain positions on the inland side of the valley which will afford a good jumping-off ground. The Germans counter-attacked against the Fifth Army positions and also against' the British forces in the coastal area, but made no impression. The attacks were typical of German delaying tactics. The Eighth Army is consolidating its positions, while advanced patrols prooe the enemy lines. The North-west African Air Forces for the second day took a hand in preparing for the battles to come and heavily bombed enemy communications and airfields. Sixteen enemy planes were shot down for the loss of one of ours. Battle for Heights The Eighth Army, which has swept 2500 miles through five countries since El Alamein, is now in the heart of the Apennines fighting as slow and savage a battle as ever it has fought since it stormed the Alamein line a year ago next Saturday. With 363 days of success since then it is still advancing, but the tardy progress at present is proof of the difficulties and problems of this battle for the heights. The Eighth Army is now slogging towards a new obstacle a mile distant — narnqly, the fast, swollen Biferno River, on which the German rearguards are well established. The Eighth Army on Wednesday advanced eight miles and captured the villages of Oratino and Busso, west of Campobasso, standing on the heights dominating Baranello, on the Vinchia-turo-Isernia road. The British troops reached Oratino, which is 3000 ft up, by a twisting single track road. They stormed Busso at the end of a still rougher serpent-like cart track. The enemy west of these villages is dug in among the heights around Baranello, which is the strategic centre of the German defences on the northern slope of the Apennines. According to a Washington message, the Secretary of War, Mr H. L. Stimson, said that 879 Americans have been killed, 3047 wounded, and 2848 were missing from the Fifth Army since the start of the Volturno battle, and he warned that the casualties were only approximate. It is understood that the casualties in British units were somewhat higher. Mr Stimson said the Fifth Army was making substantial progress in the march on Rome. Indications showed that German reinforcements from North Italy had been brought into battle, and that additional German troops had arrived in Italy.

Work of Air Forces

The marshalling yards at Nis, in Jugoslavia,, an important junction 80 miles north-west of Sofia, were attacked for the first time by medium bombers escorted by Lightnings, causing explosions and severe damage. The German News Agency, describing the Allied raid on Nis, said: "British and American planes caused great damage, private houses in particular being heavily hit. The number of casualties was very considerable, and 200 bodies were taken from the debris. The injured persons total several hundreds.”

The British United Press correspondent at Istanbul reveals that Sofia was raided on Monday night, when at least 100 were killed or injured. Barracks housing motorised troops and tank units were set on fire.

On Wednesday heavy bombers attacked airfiedds at Casale and Marcigliana, north of Rome. Many hits were seen on hangars, sheds, and landing fields. Other heavy bombers destroyed railway bridges from Grosse to Orvito. Medium bombers attacked airfields at Casale, Marcigliana, and Cerveteri, direct hits being scored on parked aircraft, hangars, and dispersal areas.

Fighters and fighter-bombers were over the battlefront throughout the day, attacking gun positions and motor transport. A train and a station were blown up north of Ancona. A terrific explosion shook the countryside south of Ancona when Kittybombers- blew up an enemy ammunition train, says Reuter’s correspondent with the Eighth Army. The blast was so great that one of our planes flying at a good height was blown to pieces and a large part of a neighbouring village was shattered.