IMPORTANT TOWNS TAKEN

Waikato Times, Volume 132, Issue 22154, 28 September 1943, Page 3

IMPORTANT TOWNS TAKEN

EIGHTH AND FIFTH ARMIES ADVANCE GERMAN EVACUATION OF FOGGiA AERODROME FIERCE FIGHTING—MAN TO MAN ENCOUNTERS (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Sept. 28, noon) LONDON, Sept. 27. The Cairo radio says the Germans have begun the evacuation of Foggia. The Foggia aerodrome, with at least a dozen satellite airfields, has been evacuated by the Germans on their own admission. Its possession will bring Allied bombers within 500 miles of the great industrial regions of Austria, to which much German war produrtion has been removed since the destruction wrought by British bombers in the Rhineland and Westphalia. An Algiers communique says: The Eighth Army in the north crossed the Ofanto River and captured Cerignola. In the centre they are still in contact with the enemy just north of Atella and have captured Muro. The Fifth Army has captured Calabritto and Casano. The capture of Calabritto represents a tenmile American advance up the Sele River from Contursi. Despite demolitions and obstacles in the shape of machinegun nests, which had to be taken one after another, and despite blown-up bridges, minefields and booby-traps, which the Germans are using freely in their delaying action, the Fifth Army continued to advance yesterday west and north of Salerno. A correspondent says the fighting in this area has been fiercer than anything our troops experienced in the Middle East, North Africa or Sicialian campaigns since El Alamein. Time and again the outcome of combats has been decided by man to man encounters.

Our troops are advancing towards Naples and the Germans are withdrawing on the eastern front, fighting rearguard actions pivoting upon Casano, which we captured yesterday. The Eighth Army, in the face of slight resistance, has advanced on the coastal road right to the salt marshes of Margherita Di Savois, and in the interior to Cerignola, on a direct line to Foggia. Leaving the Salerno plain right behind and following the withdrawing Germans, our troops on the right flank of the Fifth Army captured positions dominating a nest of road crossings in the north-west sector. For seven days these troops, fighting without rest, have been consolidating their line, strengthening the avenues of supply over the mountains, and repairing bridges and roads blown up by the enemy in their retreat.