Evening star., 1943-10-13
5th Army Gains
Nine Mi|esin
Central Italy
Enemy's Positions
Smashed; British
Score Advances
By the Associated Press.

ALLIED HEADQUARTERS,
Algiers, Oct. 13.-Battering down
powerful enemy positions in
Central Italy, Allied troops have
advanced 9 miles northeast of
Pontelandolfo to seize San Croce,
while the British 9Th Army,
pushing ahead along it's entire
front, captured Riccia and Bone
fro, official front line dispatches
announced today.
The plunge to San Croce sent
deeper northWard the spearhead
outhanking the strong German VOL
turno River line.
tAlthough this dispatch did
not identify them, American 5th
Army troops apparently took San
Croce)
Riccia. seized by the British. is
only miles northeast of San Croce.
Along the Adriatic coastal flank
Gen Sir Bernard L. Montgomery S
troops smashed four miles ahead
beyond Termoli against strong Ger
man resistance
NAPLES Harbor again has been
placed in commission by Allied
engineers. the Cairo radio said
today in a broadcast which also
declared that Allied troops had
inflicted heavy casualties on the
Germans in fighting along the
Volturno River.
(The broadcast. recorded by the
Associated Press added that Al
lied reinforcements are pouring
into Salerno, south Of Naples.)
Sharp Fighting at Bonefro.
Bonefro, 20 miles southwest of
Termoli and miles northwest OF
British-held Colletorto, was captured
after exceptionally sharp fighting.
Southwest Of Colletorto patrols Of
Gen. Montgomerys British, Cana
dian and Indian troops penetrated
6 miles to the village OF Santa Ella.
Along the Volturno River line a
tremendous artillery duel ragged, with
British and American artillery of
the 5th Army hurting hundreds of
shells across the flooded stream.
The Nazis are reported to have
brought up strong artillery units
also and front dispatches indicated
their lines on the rivers north bank
are being strengthened against 1t
Gen, Mark w. Clark's expected as
Sault.
There was no report of any fresh
gains anywhere along the Volturno
front and nothing toindicate whether
Allied patrols were succeeding in
penetrating to the north bank to
test the enemys strength.
Other Towns Captured.
The break-through on the CEN
tral front, which brought new
threats of eventual fanking move
ments from the east against the
VolturnO line, also resulted in cap
ture of the towns of Cercello, Cole
and Celtelpagano.
On the 9th Army front from the
Adriatic south to the mountainous
backbone of Central Italy, Allied
gains were general, while enemy
opposition was uneven. At some
points British patrols forged ahead
against only mild resistance, but the
Germans fought back desperately
elsewhere.
Possibility that the Germans are
rushing heavy reinforcements to the
Adriatic battle front was seen in an
air force announcement that Allied
fighter -bombers had scored many
hits on a train loaded with motor
transports on the rail line between
Pescara and Termoli.
Positions Consolidated.
Fifth Army patrols again have
been active and positions gained
have been consolidated,' an Allied
communique. added
CA broadcast last night by
Radio France at Algiers said
American troops had advanced
more than IA miles in the last
"a hours, penetrating deep into
the mountains.
CThe ,5th Army is beginning to
turn the German flank on the
Volturno River front north of
Benevento, with the Germans
making tougher stand, said this
broadcast, heard by the British
Ministry of Information.
Radio France announced this
morning that since the liberation
OF Corsica, the Germans had sent
20 new divisions into France.
guarding against an invasion
there.)
Road functions Bombed.
Light bombers last night ham,
mered road functions around Vasto
l8 miles above Termoli, and fighter
bombers struck at enemy gun posi-
tions and trains in the Termoli
area.
Nlght-tylng fleets also blasted at
railroad bridges and yards at Civita
vecchia, 40 miles northwest OF
Rome.
No Allied planes were lost.
In Cairo the Raj announced that
heavy bombers, continuing the
bomb lashing of the Dodecanese
had hammered Martha airfield or
Rhodes Monday night. Bombs
burst on the runway and aircraft
dispersal area and started . fire
the Cairo conmunique said.