GOTHIC LINE

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVI, Issue 22998, 15 September 1944, Page 5

GOTHIC LINE

More Gaps Punched By Eighth Army Advance By Tanks And Infantry By Telegraph—N.Z. Press Assn.— Copyright 'Rec. 8 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 13. The Eighth Army is smashing through the Gothic Line following ’ a bombardment by 1000 guns at dawn to-day of Coriano and the Sans Avino Kidge, which is an anchor point of the German line, states the correspondent of the British United Press. Eighth Army, infantry and tanks by the middle of the morning had pushed on 1000 yards at some points, and by evening appeared to be certain to make the biggest bag of prisoners for weeks. The attack to-day caught the Germans by surprise. At some points there was little initial resistance. The Germans late in the afternoon twice unsuccessfully counter-attacked. The whole battle area all day belched smoke from British and German guns. The duels reached the highest pitch since Cassino. Forward troops of the Fifth Army are less than three miles from the important Gothic Line pass, about 21 miles north of Florence, states the correspondent of the Exchange Telegraph Agency in Rome. The terrain where the fighting is going on is extremely difficult. It is impossible to use armour but artillery is being used on a large scale. The main fighting is between infantry. Forces of the Fifth Army have reached Lagnano, three miles north of Barberino, where the Allies were reported yesterday. Some two and ahalf miles west they reached Poggio del Ladognanj. Fighting is growing in intensity. Patrols three miles further west pushed on to the vicinity of San Ippolito, and still further west they forced their way well into' the southern reaches of the Gothic defences. These are the troops who are near the Gothic Line pass. Adriatic Sector On the Adriatic sector of Italy Eighth Army patrols have been active in probing the defences in the coastal area, states a correspondent at Rome. There has been considerable artillery action on both sides, but the ferocity of the fighting between the ground forces has somewhat abated. Our troops are still being held on the Coriano ridge and the position between Coriano and San Sovino remains unchanged. In the central sector of the Eighth Army front patrols are active, testing the Gothic Line defences in that area. East of Florence our troops continued their steady advance toward the Gothic position and are now at one point about a mile south of one of the main passes of the great enemy defence positions. North-east of Florence troops who crossed the Siever River advanced another five njjjes. There has been an improvement iti the weather all along the front. First Taste of Shelling The smallest Republic in the world, San Marino, which also claims to be the oldest State in Europe, had ■ its first experience of Allied shelling yesterday when Indian artillery opened up in answer to German fire from the boundaries of the State, which flank the Coriano ridge and extend within five miles of Rimini, states Reuter’s correspondent with the Indians in Italy. The Germans respected the neutrality of the State as long as it suited them. Kesselring demanded the use of the roads of San Marino “merely for supply and staff work,” and the State was forced to accede to the German wishes. With an army of only 68 San Marino could not offer resistance. The influx of refugees after the Eighth Army's attack against the Gothic Line increased the population of San Marino from 1.000 to about 120,000.