EIGHTHARMY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 4, 6 January 1944, Page 5

EIGHTHARMY

• ASTRIDE TOLLO ROAD INDIANS TAKE IMPORTANT HEIGHT

(By Telegraph—Press /.Mociatlon—Copyright) Reed. 7.45 p.m. London, Jan. 4. Bitter fighting around the crossroads of Tollo, about five miles inland from Ortona, ended with the Eighth Army firmly astride the Tollo Road, though still two miles from the village itself. The Eighth Army has not yet crossed the Arielli River, which runs just in front of the village. The Germans, it is believed, intend to defend Tollo as stubbornly as they did Ortona.

At the mouth of the Garigliano River, Fifth Army units again raided enemy positions oh the north bank ano penetrated a mile into German-held territory. Reed. 7 p.m. Rugby, Jan. 4.

The weather conditions on both fronts in Italy have improved, but lhe boggy ground is not yet hard enough to permit any major effort anywhere, writes a correspondent at Allied Headquarters. Indian troops seized an important feature overlooking enemy positions one mile south-east of San Tomaso and a mile and a half north of Ortona. They also got astride the OrtonaMaglianito lateral road, two miles from Tollo, and reached positions within two miles of this village, which has been converted by the Germans into another strongpoint. Qjj the Eighth Army front a great number of vehicles are snowbound. On the Fifth Army front American troops attacked positions at San Vattore, six miles fif.n Cassino, and confirmed that they are strongly held. They also contested defensive positions at Equafondala and found that these also are firmly held. Although the weather is cold and clear, a heavy fall of snow impeded our movements in mountainous regions. The enemy has again shell Mignano.—B.O.W. DEEP SNOWDRIFTS N.Z. TROOPS IN BLIZZARD Divisional H.Q., Jan. 3. Snow added its quota to the new experiences which the festive season Drought the New Zealand Division. Shortly after dark last night the wind increased to a gale, which blew up from the north-west from the mountains, screaming down through the passes and over the ridges where the infantry is stll diig-n in its hard-won positions. The gale strengthened until at midnight it was difficult to stand upright in exposed places. Fences and hay-stack-covers began to tear loose, and the night was filled with noises over, the howling of the wind as tarpaulins, fuel-vans, and other movable objects were carried away. Then came the snow.

Driven by the gale the flakes came in with stinging force, and soon great drifts Were banked up against every solid object. The temperature kept falling as the nght advanced, bringing real blizzard conditions. It was a night of extreme hardship and suffering for those of our troops who had nothing but bivouacs and bed-rolls for proaection. Throughout the division tents and bivouacs collapsed under the weight of snow and the force of the blast. Those who could, took shelter in barns and outhouses or huddled in vehicles during the remaining hours of darkness, but there was little escape from the gale, which drove snow, sleet and rain through every crack and nailhole. There is little time or inclination to admire the view, the beauty of which soon palls when one realises that trucks are hopelessly stalled, lines are down and broken, and the white expanse hides the ruins of the mess-tent. Many trucks were completely buried and others had the engines and cabs packed with driven snow.

To make matters worse, a keen wind still blows to-day and brings with it heavy, continuous rain and a grey sky. I drove by jeep this morning toward the forward areas over grounds which are nothing but deep water-courses covered with sludge and piled high with drifts. At times what is normally an excellent second-class road deteriorates to two tracks wandering across an undefined expanse. The first thing I noticed was the activity of signal linesmen, who have been at it since the blizzard started and will be cn the job until the last signal line is in again. They have to contend with a state of affairs in which poles and trees have collapsed under the burden and laden wires hang drunkenly over roads in which every inch of the ground-laid lines is under at least a foot and often 10 feet of snow. I stood by one as he reported a line through. The first message was: “Complete lack of enemy activity.” Apparently they are having their troubles, too. During the night tragedy had been avoided narrowly in a number of cases. One artilleryman, who is apparently a neavy sleeper, awoke wilh a feeling of suffocation to find himself buried inside his bivouac beneath many feet of snow, and in spite of his calls for help he was not rescued until after he had been missed at breakfast. I was present when an Italian refugee regained consciousness under the care of New Zealand troops after having collapsed and lain senseless all night in the snow by the roadside. Although it was near mid-day lhe visibility was closing in again and 1 could not make out the outlines of the i ridges. I found another New Zealander diligently plunging a spade into a slope by the roadside. "Have you