ITALIAN FRONT

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVII, Issue 23113, 30 January 1945, Page 2

ITALIAN FRONT

No Sign Of Withdrawal LONDON. Jan. 28. In spite of rumours of a possible German withdrawal on the Italian front the Allied Air Force, which has been keeping a look-out for any significant movement of the enemy in Northern Italy found no evidence that the Germans are about to be used to stem the tide in the East. Reporting this, the correspondent of the Exchange Telegraph Agency at Rome adds that our troops, if anything, have been experiencing stiffer opposition. The Associated Press correspondent says that adding to the evidence of unusual activity behind the German lines in the last few days large fires have been seen. They were observed six miles west of Faenza. The Russian invasion of Silesia has removed a number of the main oil targets from the list for heavy bombers based on Italy. Four or five synthetic oil plants within range of Italy are located in Upper Silesia and have already been invaded by the Russians. The fifth is located at Brux (Sudetenland). All four Silesian plants have been knocked out tor extended periods. They are located north and south of Blachha miner. Odertal and Osweicim. Fifteen thousand tons of bombs were dropped on these targets in 59 attacks. Brenner Railway Attacked “A large number of fighters and fighter-bombers attacked the Brenner railway and other railway targets in the Po Valley, hitting bridges, rolling stock, motor transport and an oil storage plant, in spite of bad weather,” says a Mediterranean communique. "Guns and occupied enemy buildings on the Eighth Army front were attacked. A small number of medium bombers attacked the road and railway bridge at Bressano Botta, and railway yards at Casto Franco. Light bombers on Friday night attacked rail movements in the west of the Po Valley. Coastal aircraft attacked a factory at Torre dl Zuino. Shipping in the Adriatic was attacked by the Balkans Air Force. Strategic heavy bombers did not operate. From all operations, involving some 850 sorties, eight of our aircraft are missing.