VOLTURNO DEFENCE LINE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 245, 16 October 1943, Page 5

VOLTURNO DEFENCE LINE

SMASHED BY FIFTH ARMY

ALLIED ARMS POUR ACROSS

(By Telegraph—Preu Auociatlon—Copyright) Recd. 8 p.m. London, Oct. 14. British and American troops of the Fifth Army in Italy have made a full-scale attack on the Volturno defence line, smashed across the river, and gained several bridgeheads.

A grim struggle is going on north of the river, where crossings have been made east and west of Capua. The troops are now in considerable strength at several points, and have also got a number of tanks over. Allied tanks and guns continue to pour across the Volturno River and our bridgeheads are well established, say late despatches from front-line correspondents.

Rome radio admits that in the Capua region the British armoured forces penetrated the German defence system to a considerable depth. Berlin radio stated that the new Allied landing, mentioned earlier, was made near Castel Volturno, on the north shore of the

Volturno estuaiw. Reuter’s correspondent says the extension of our bridgeheads over the Volturno enabled heavier weapons to reach the vanguards of the Fifth Army. The Allies have immense reserves and also every conceivable weapon for this big push. The first detachments of the Fifth Army forces crossed the Volturno without a shot being fired at them, says the Columbia Broadcasting System’s representative in a broadcast from Algiers. Allied guns opened up along a lengthy strip of the river bank, and thereafter concentrated on a single point. The Germans, thinking the big attack was coming here, heavily counter-fired. Meanwhile, from a point down the stream, the Fifth Army forces began pouring across the river and continued to do so for about an hour without drawing any enemv fire.

The British United Press points (fit that the significance of the first bridgeheads is that they lie on both sides of the road from Capuna across the fertile plains of Campania towards Sparanise. This is the main road to Rome. The crossing of the Volturno must rank as the most important Allied military success since the capture of Naples. Beyond Capua our forces are astride the main road to Rome and, according to the Germans, we have landed a sea-borne force in their rear, north of the Volturno. The crossing of the river was a great piece of work by the Fifth Army infantrymen and now they arc up against enemy fighting with all the skill and ferocity at his command from strong positions in the hills. A correspondent says that the battle to establish ourselves beyond Volturno is approaching its climax. There had been an improvement in the weather, and the ground has been dry enough to allow troops to operate off the roads.

The Germans were fully prepared for the attack, and just before it opened on Tuesday night they got the first blow in themselves. Some of their troops actually reached the Allied side of the river, and there was a fierce melee on the southern bank in and around Capua. The Germans were flung back again, and then our attack got under way in much greater strength. A correspondent says it is believed that the Germans have seven divisions in the line across Italy. Their greatest concentration is on the Volturno River line. It is certain that they will hang on to this line, and fierce and continuous fighting is expected.

Thejenemy positions are threatened on the flank by our forces in the central mountainous centre and beyond. The advance here is steady, if gradual. Eighth Army forces were last reported within seven miles of the important crossroad town nf Vinchiatura. All along the central part of the front our forces have gained from four to five miles, and there have been short advances too. on the northern sector of the Eight.) Army front. A feature of the Volturno battle is once more the first-class support by the Allied air forces. Fighter-bomb-ers have smashed at enemy troops, tanks, and road’s and bridges, and have also struck still further back. American Marauders made a damaging attack 15 miles from Capua, and American Mitchells bombed areas behind the enemy. North of Rome Wellingtons (night bombers) attacked the main electrical railway). On the Adriatic sector British and American fighter-bombers have been making difficulties for the German forces opposing the Eighth Army. A letter found on a German paratroop corporal at Termoli from a relative in Northern Italy said: “We live on Italian produce. You had better not ask how we get it. We keep the Italians’ kitchens busy. They serve us like I think that right. The Italian swine must be bled.”