NEW ADVANCES

Waikato Times, Volume 195, Issue 22458, 20 September 1944, Page 5

NEW ADVANCES

EIGHTH ARMY’S SUCCESS STRUGGLE FOR RIMINI “HITLER NOT MAD” (United I'res* Assn.—Klee. Tel. Copyright (Received Sept. 20, 11.30 *.m.) LONDON, Sept. 10. The Eighth Army has made new advances on the Adriatic coastal front, says Reuter’s correspondent. The Greeks have driven across the Rimini airfield and reached the northern edge despite the Germans' use of dug-in Panther tanks’ turrets. Savage fighting is going on around the airport. The Canadians are at the Ausa river line, three miles south-west of Rimini, where German tanks and infantry are conducting a bitter river bank defence. The British who crossed the San Marino frontier have established a bridgehead across the Marano river and advanced a mile towards the state's capital against German counter-attacks. Fifth Army forces, helped by flanking movements by British and Indian troops, have captured three dominating features well within the Gothic defences—the 3300 ft. high Monte Pratone, 21 miles north-west of Florence, Monte Aluzzo, two and a-half miles westwards, and Monte Celli, about a mile north-west of Monte Aluzzo. The fighting for these features has been as bitter as any of the Italian campaign. A document captured from a

political officer of the Pint German Parachute Division in Italy stated: ‘.‘Officers must counteract by all possible means the assertion made by the enemy as well as some of our own people that the Fuehrer goes mad with rage, tears down curtains, rolls on the floor in oonvulsions, and bites the carpet. Hitler is above revealing such a lack of self-control.” Capture of Heights Days of hard bitter fighting won important gains of heights north-east of Florence within the Gothic Line, says the Times correspondent. The Germans heavily fortified these heights. Concrete pill-boxes and dug-in positions extended to the crest. The Americans in toilsome progress across the rugged mountain masses had to overcome resistance from veteran German troops, equipped with all arms and supporting weapons. The enemy positions were elaborately protected with high barb-ed-wire. The Germans in one concentration of artillery fire loosed 2000 sheila. Tribute is rightly paid to British and Indian forces of the Fifth Army for their brilliant flanking movements, which materially contributed to the capture of the heights. British troops, pursuing the Germans, entered the tiny republic of San Marino, which recently declared itself neutral after a lengthy Fascist association. The day has again been characterised by extremely heavy fighting in the central and Adriatic sector, states a Mediterranean communique. American troops of the Eighth Army made significant gains north of Florence. _ . In the Adriatic sector British and Canadian troops of the Eighth Army enlarged their bridgehead over the Marano river and captured Cerasolo and Frantano. Bombed From Air Medium forces of escorted heavy bombers yesterday attacked railway yards and bridges in north-east Yugoslavia and Central Hungary. Medium bombers and fighterbombers were active against roads and rail communications in the Po Valley, as well as troop concentrations, gun positions and strongpoints in the battle area. Coastal aircraft attacked shipping in the Gulf of Genoa and the Adriatic. Other aircraft attacked communications in Yugoslavia. From these operations eleven of our aircraft are missing. A Rome correspondent says that medium and fighter-bombers during the 24 hours to midnight last night dropped over 1000 tons of bombs on the Rimini defences. In a five-min-utes raid last night over 300 tons Of bombs were dropped on an area of about three miles by one mile in a north-west town where the enemy tad concentrated men and supplies. Heavy bombers yesterday successfully attacked rail bridges and other targets in the Belgrade area.