ADVANCE ON EAST COAST

Waikato Times, Volume 132, Issue 22153, 27 September 1943, Page 5

ADVANCE ON EAST COAST

FIFTH ARMY’S OFFENSIVE SUCCESSES IN ITALY (United Press Assn. —El pc. Tel. Copyright) LONDON. Sept. 26 Units of the Eighth Army on the east coast of Italy have reached the Ofanto River and are within 30 miles of the network of German airfields around Foggia. Canosa, 12 miles up the river from the Adriatic coast, was in the hands of British advance guards on Friday. Casualties have been extremely light. Other Eighth Army forces have captured Aitamura. The Fifth Army, fighting its way forward in the new offensive from Salerno, has already captured most of the heights overlooking Naples. British troops have been clearing the main road to Naples often at the point of the bayonet. On the right flank the Americans pushed forward for three miles and are fanning out to the north-east. There has been stiff opposition from the Germans, who have been relying on tanks, artillery and demolitions.

According to the Algiers corresponded of the Columbia Broadcasting System General Clark’s forces may soon reach the plain of Naples. He says that Allied artillery on Friday night hammered the enemy positions on the plain with a furious bombardment which “split the whole landscape of the Gulf of Salerno.” Fierce Resistance “We are gradually clearing the Germans from the high ground north and east of Salerno,” the corre.spondent adds. “The Germans are fighting fiercely and taking the utmost advantage of the mountainous terrain. The Fifth Army has taken more than 2000 prisoners in 16 days.” Within the past few hours the Fifth Army has occupied several square miles north and north r east of Salerno, says the Algiers radio. The Allied forces occupying the hills south of the plain of Naples can clearly see the damage caused to German communications in the Naples area. The Vichy radio says the Fifth Army is moving on Pompeii and Mercato, which may be described as gateways to the Naples plain. Pompeii commands the Nocera gap past Vesuvius. Mercato is in the foothills of the Apennines. According to the Berlin radio batteries of howitzers have been brought up to reinforce the British troops attacking north of Salerno, and warships close to the beaches have joined in the fighting. The Berlin radio commentator Sertorius said: “Increased activity by the Royal Air Force, the appearance of numerous British and American land batteries, and extensive troops movements to the front indicate that a new phase of the Allied offensive in Southern Italy is imminent.” Describing the battle for Naples a correspondent says that the Allied forces today made an advance of a mile along the line, which is more important, possibly, than would be a much greater advance elsewhere. The Germans are fighting for Naples and the whole line based on Naples. It is out of these well prepared positions that they are being driven. Prisoners, in a very exhausted condition, tell of the crippling losses inflicted by the Allied artillery.