ARGENTA TAKEN

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVII, Issue 23181, 20 April 1945, Page 5

ARGENTA TAKEN

Eighth Army Nearing Ferrara Good Progress In Italy By Telegraph—N.Z press Assn.—Copyright LONDON, April 18. Argenta, the only remaining centre of resistance in the area west of the Comacchio lagoon, has been captured by the Eighth Army. Argenta is just a heap of rubble, with only two buildings standing. The correspondent of the "Daily Eot-m ■>- press” said one of these buildings is a hospital, which was merely chipped at one corner. This is a tribute to our bombers. Some of the Germans In Argenta have been without food and water for four days. As we advanced from Argenta this afternoon we called off another bombing operation because the front was so loosened it was not necessary. We can now fan out into the plain. A supplementary communique from Allied Headquarters in Italy repeats the capture of Argenta by the Eighth Army. It says that troops of the Fifth Army, advancing steadily west of the Vergato-Bologna highway, captured Monte Remanto and the village of Sah Prospero. . - South Africans of the Fifth Army have taken Monte Castellino, overlooking the Reno Valley. Progress has been made south of Bologna in the face of bitter resistance. The Italians south of the main route to Bologna reached Gaiana on a wide front. Advanced Eighth Army forces are only 18 miles from Ferrara, states Reuter’s correspondent at Allied Headquarters in Italy. Indian troops advanced four miles north of Medicina. Gurkhas were involved in stiff hand-to-hand fighting north-west of the town. Formations of the Fifth Army are meeting bitter opposition south of Bologna. American infantry reached the summit of the long-contested 2000-foot peak of Monte Rumici. South Africans south-east of the captured Monte Sole advanced 1000 yards. Elements of the 10th Mountain Division, after they captured Monte Moscoso. advanced a similar distance. The smallness of these gains shows the difficult nature of the battlefield. Americans on the Fifth Army’s coastal sector pushed a mile nearer Spezia. Spitfires, strafing ahead of the Allied artillery barrage on the Eighth Armv front in Italy, to-day reported that all types of transport were hurriedly moving back from the battlefront. Motor vehicles, troop-carriers, ammunition carts, motor-cyles, tanks and guns were seen in columns. Air Pounding The 15th Air Force bombers have again pounded German positions south of Bologna, cables a correspondent in Italy. Mitchells attacked troop con-. centrations at Prodero just south of Bologna. Other Mitchells kept up the pressure on the Brenner Pass line. The railway at Staz di Coraine received particular attention. The Desert Air Force, again up to full strength, resumed its round-the- ~ clock offensive with Bostons and Bal- ' timores, strafing ferry terminals, tugs and barges. Some pilots report a ring of fire around Bologna. One jet Messerschmitt 262 was spotted over the battlefield—probably the first Luftwaffe plane in days. It escaped in cloud at terrific speed when chased bv two Spitfire bombers. Thunderbolts attacked ammunition dumps south of Modena.