EIGHTH ARMY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 280, 26 November 1943, Page 5

EIGHTH ARMY

PROGRESS IN ITALY STILL CHECKED BY WEATHER

f ßy Telegraph—Press /.eeociatton—Copyright > Recd. 6 p.m. London, Nov. 24. The whole of the Eighth Army line is now steadily drawing up to the line of the Sangro, all the way from the sea to its source in the central Apennines. On the Fifth Army front activity has been restricted, hut there have been some artillery duels tn the Venafro aiea.

The weather is again our biggest enemy in the air over Italy. Rain and cloud nearly all over the Mediterranean area have grounded all the bombers and most, of the fighters of the North-west African Air Force. Spitfires shot up motor-trucks over Albania. On Monday night Boston bombers attacked transport on the Adriatic coast. The United Nations radio at Algiers states that General Montgomery’s men have captured two more towns, Cacracotte and Montenero.

Recd. 6 p.m. Rugby, Nov. 24. British troops have occupied Alfedena, fourteen miles north-west of Isernia. Allied headquarters states: “There is little improvement in the weather, which has continued to hamper opc/tions. Enemy artillery was active on the Fifth Army front. The Eighth Army has made more progress in the central sector and occupied Alfedena. The village had been destroyed by the enemy. Further north, where heavy rain fell, there was little change. Light coastal craft of the Allied navies are again active on the west coast of Italy. On Sunday night they sank a lighter laden with petrol near Leghorn. Yesterday fighters bombed motor transport in Albania. Other operations were prevented by bad weather. On Monday night light bombers attacked motor transport between Ortona and Pescara.”—B.O.W. CONTROL OF ROADS PIVOT TOWN CAPTURED Recd. 6 n.m. London, Nov. 24. The Eighth Army’s capture of Alfedena, pivot town of Kesselring’s winter line of communications, resulted from an advance of five miles. Alfedena controls two main roads northward along the mountain backbone to the Trans-Italy highway between Rome and Pescara. The capture of San Angelo, eight miles north-west of Agnone, rewarded a six-mile push. Reuter’s Algiers correspondent says the Eighth Army has driven a wedge five miles deep into the German Apennines front, and with the capture of San Angelo has made further progress, consolidating the positions on the banks of the Sangro River, which. Cairo radio has reported, units of General Montgomery’s infantry have crossed. There is a further increase in heavy artillery fire into the Venafro area.

TOULON AND SOFIA BOTH HEAVILY RAIDED Reed. 9 p.m. London, Nov. 24. Large formations of Flying Fortresses bombed submarine pens and docks at Toulon to-day while Liberators attacked the railway yards at Sofia. This was officially announced from Allied headquarters in North Africa. A smaller formation of Fortresses bombed the coastal railway and a viaduct near Cannes. Vichy radio announced that 30 buildings were destroyed in the Toulon raid. The number of victims had not yet been established but it was feared that it. was high. The raid started at 1.30 p.m. and lasted half an hour. ■ Budapest radio said that 60 American bombers, with a strong fighter cover, attacked Sofia, flying over the city in two groups. The alert lasted from 12.45 p.m. to 3.3 p.m. A Bulgarian communique stated: “Groups of enemy planes to-day flew over Bulgarian territory. Bombs were dropped on several places. Several raiders were shot down. Prime Minister Filov visited the damaged town immediately after the attack.”