ALLIED FORCES IN ITALY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25562, 15 June 1944, Page 6

ALLIED FORCES IN ITALY

ENEMY REARGUARDS MAKING STAND LONDON, June 13. Von Kesselring's rearguards are making a stand in the hills 75 miles north of Rome to permit the disorgani'sed Fourteenth Army to escape northward, says Reuter's correspondent in a despatch from advanced headquarters in Italy. The Allied advance up the Italian peninsula is moving rapidly on both sides of Lake Bolsena, and also over the Apennines and along the Adriatic. The Eighth Army is moving to high ground across the main Rome-Pescara road, and is now just south-east of Carsoli. The Adriatic advance is still unopposed. “The Fifth, Army has broken the German armies opposing them in Italy. It is no wonder they are in full flight.” said General Mark Clark, welcoming British, French, and American troops of the Fifth Army to a spacious rest centre on the outskirts of Rome, states the Associated Press Rome correspondent.

General Clark added: “ You men who have captured Rome—l want to congratulate you from the bottom of my heart.”

Reuter's correspondent at Allied headquarters reports that Fifth Army troops occupied two regions cn the west shore of Lake Bolsena. and, with the South Africans, are advancing up the east shore of the lake, which is ,now almost encircled. South African armour just north-east' of Lake Bolsena, driving towards Orvieto had to fight fiercely to batter its way through to Bagnoregio, six miles south of Orvieto.

Behind the Americans driving up the west coast a naval party has already been established at Civita Vecchia, and is dealing with the extensive damage left by the Germans.