NEWS OF SEVENTH ARMY

Waikato Times, Volume 132, Issue 22136, 7 September 1943, Page 3

NEWS OF SEVENTH ARMY

SAID TO BE NEAR NAPLES TERRIFIC AIR POUNDING (Received Sept. 7, noon) LONDON, Sept. 6 The terrific air assault on the Naples area in the past 24 hours is regarded as suggesting a softening process which is characteristic of the Allies’ usual invasion tactics. The British United Press correspondent in Madrid, quoting reliable reports from Rome, says the Seventh Army left African ports last night and is now afloat In the Mediterranean for an unknown destination, believed to be the vicinity of Naples. The air attacks around Naples are continuing night and day, and are particularly directed against airfields and railways. Reuter’s Algiers correspondent states that Fortresses, in a short, savage raid yesterday, put out of action the Viterbo airfield, north of Naples. Thousands of fragmentation botnbs fell among dispersed planes, many of which were destroyed or damaged. Photographs taken shortly after the raid showed three hangars, damaged and the airfield severely pockmarked by explosives. Fortresses shot down a considerable nufnber of enemy fighters from three attacking formations. Meanwhile Marauders and Mitchells hammered a secondary airfield at Grazzanise, near Naples. The air crews observed three large explosions, also several wrecked planes. Escorting Lightnings shot down two of ten attacking fighters. Onslaught Continued

Mitchells near Minturna, 40 miles north-west of Naples, attacked another secondary airfield and directly hit two rail bridges and tracks. The onslaught on the Naples area was continued last night when Wellingtons dropped incendiaries on the vital railway junction of Villa Literno, which was busy with traffic en route to Naples along the coastline from Rome.

Two-ton blockbusters followed the incendiaries. One crashed in the centre of 18 lines of rails. Another big bomb burst between a power station and repair shop. Fires clearly revealed smashed rolling stock. All this was one day’s destruction in one area, but raids occurred in other parts of Italy and Sardinia.