LINE CRACKING

Waikato Times, Volume 195, Issue 22459, 21 September 1944, Page 5

LINE CRACKING

HEAVY ALLIED PRESSURE MENACE TO GERMANS ADVANCES IN ITALY (United Tress Assn.—Flee. Tel. Copyright (Received Sept. 21, 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 20 Rimini, the gateway to the Po Valley and northern Italy, faces the threat of being bypassed by a strong Allied wedge heading for the Marecchia river west of the town. The new loop of Kesselring’s Gothic Line, built across the Rimini—San Marino Road, is cracking under heavy pressure from General Leese’s forces.

The Greeks, after capturing the Rimini airfield, two miles from Rimini, on September 19, advanced 1000 yards beyond and now are directly threatening Rimini. The Allied Air Forces and naval guns are battering ’the enemy defences in the Rimini area, where nine German Divisions are steadily declining under the combined onslaught. | The whole German position in the ; Apennines is seriously threatened by , the capture of important mountain : features in the last 48 hours. The | Fifth Army is now across the great divide of the Apennine range. The battle from now on will be down hill into the Po Valley. The Exchange Telegraph’s Rome correspondent says that Americans of the Fifth Army, following the Gothic Line breach, are within 25 miles of Bologna. The American Press says that front-line despatches state that the gains in the central sector have cost an “uncomfortable” number of losses. Great Advances Made A correspondent in Italy says that the Fifth Army in the past 24 hours has made great advances 20 miles north of Florence and south of Firenzuola, where they pushed up the slopes of the 2600 ft. MoiUe Castel Guerrino and seized the height of La Croce. means an advance of more than two miles in places. The capture of important hill features within the past two days threatens the whole enemy position. Already resistance in parts of the central sector has diminished as our artillery and air forces continue to inflict casualties. The Allies had to scale the steep rocky slopes and root out the defenders from well dug-in positions. Heavy fighting continues in and among turret-top pillboxes and concrete gun emplacements which form the crown of the Apennine crests. British and Indian troops also have taken hill masses overlooking the Faenza road in the vicinity of Razzolo and - are firmly in control of Monte Femmine, a feature which rises over 3600 ft. about 21 miles north-east of Florence. Enemy Reinforced The Lucca-Camaiore road, which connects with the coastal highway, was secured when the Fifth Army captured Camaiore, six miles northeast of Via Reggio. The enemy has been reinforcing the Fifth Army front on the sector where the heaviest fighting has been taking place, and the Allied troops are facing veteran German divisions. On the Adriatic front important gains have been made. The Rimini airfield is entirely in our hands and the Greeks have advanced 1000 yards beyond it. Canadians captured San Martino, in Monte Labate, three miles south of Rimini, after a grim battle under extremely lieavy enemy shelling and mortar fire and advanced a mile north-west across the Ausa river. Stiff fighting continues for enemy positions south-west of Rimini, especially in the San Fortunato area. British troops have been able to 1 old the bridgehead gained yesterday over the Ausa river and are en-' gaged in bitter fighting in the hills between Rimini and the north-east frontier of San Marino. The advance into the Republic of San Marino also has been continued further south. Serravalle, on the northeast frontier, and Domagrano, two miles north-east of the town of San Marino, have been captured. British troops arp within a mile of the town cf San Marino.

The enemy has a total of nine divisions on the Adriatic front, and although much reduced in numbers they are battling strongly on the final line of hills west of Rimini, v-hich bars the entrance to the Po Valley. This ridge is the last stronghold in the Apennine positions. Allied Warships Active The American destroyers Edison and Hilary P. Jones carried out a successful bombardment on Sunday and Monday of enemy targets 'between Ventimiglia knd San Remo. Enemy coastal craft at San Remo (were heavily fired upon, one of them [being set on fire and exploded. An ! ammunition dump on the mole was blown up. It is reported that all formerly serviceable craft in the port have been sunk. Allied coastal craft in the Gulf of Genoa on Sunday attacked an enemy convoy, torpedoing and blowing up itwo lighters. Harbour and wireless ; installations at Melos also have been ! successfully bombarded, while naval ; aircraft in attacks on Crete have destroyed 36 motor vehicles and dam- ' aged others. > Crete is being closely blockaded to prevent the escape of the enemy garrison.

All the ships and aircraft returned from all these operations.