The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1943-10-07
|V0LTURN0 CROSSED
Fifth Fords River At One
Point; British Pass
Over Biferno
FIGHTING SAID HEAVY
Germans Bitterly Contest
ing Every Inch OF
Ground Taken

A L. l. T. u IlGAb0 INV
TIERS. ALGIERS, Oct. G.
B-The Allied Fifth and
Eighth Armies have crossed
two rivers on which the
fiercely resisting Germans
are making a stand to lm-
pede the British-Amerlcan
drive up the Italian peninsula
the Volturno, flowing into
the Tyrrhenian sea 20 miles
from Naples, and the Biferno.
which runs into the Adriatlc
The Fifth Army, bringing
up reserves to smash at IN.
creased enemy opposition
along the route to Rome
crossed the Volturno at one
point after occupying Aversa
and Maddaloni, north and
northeast of Naples, and
reaching Lago di Patria, q
marshy lake IL miles north.
west of the port, headquar.
tiers announced today.
The exact spot where the
Volturno was crossed was rot
disclosed. The nearest point
on the river to the latest re-
ported Allied advance is sew
Ell miles north of Maddaloni.
This is in the mountains, and
from there the river winds
some Is miles before reach.
ing the coastal plain, where
it widens and forms a good
natural barrier.
Tqrmoli In North
In the British Eighth Army's
area along the Adriatic coast, Ter
mol, which had been in Allied
hands since it was stormed by a
landing party Sunday night, is it.
self on the northern side of the
Biferno's mouth, but farther in
land the Germans had established
themselves along the river.
The British have forced cross.
ings at several places in that re-
gion and heavy fighting is in prog
ress with both sides employing
tanks and artillery.
(The Cairo radio declared that
all German defensive positions
along the Volturno mad been rem
dered useless and that 'the bulk
of the German force is retreating
well beyond the river and only
screen for rearguard cover h
been left behind)
Striking far to the north ahead
of Allied ground forces, four waves
of Flying Fortresses made dew
astating attack on the strategic
rail center Of Bologna, on the
Bremen pass line 1870 miles below
the German border. An Allied
spokesman termed it zone of the
most accurate and successful at
tacks" ever made by the North
west African Air Force.
Bombs ripped into freight yards,
locomotive sheds, workshops,
warehouses and oil tanks, setting
great fires. Fortress gunners shot
down eight out Of 30 to IS enemy
fighters that opposed the attack.
Aversa, captured in the steady
Allied thrust northWard from the
is an important
rail junction eight miles north Of
Naples. Maddaloni is IA miles
northeast of Naples. The two towns
are each about 10 miles from Ca
qua, where rail and highway bridg-
es cross the Volturno. Capua orig
nally was the southern terminus
Of the famous Appian w ay to
Rome.
The occupation of all territory
Up the coast northwest of Naples
10 Lago di Patria, which is about
eight miles from the mouth of the
Volturno, Strengthened out the AL
led line in this section to one rum
ling almost due west from Aversa.
Among the smaller towns to fall
before the Allied advance were
oozzuolo, Qualiano, Villaricca, Ar
,ano and Marano.
An Allied communique said 1.-The
fifth Army has continued to make
progress against stiffening oppoSi.
ion, with an increase in demoli-
ions, craters and mines ON the
quite along which they are adj
''The bringing forward of re-
serves and repair of bridges il
proceeding rapidly.
The Eighth Army is in contact
With enemy forces west of Termou
md on the general line of the
Continued nm Page Three; Col. p