Evening star., 1943-10-18

and tanks went forward to expand /
the battle.
Reports from Naples said Italian
salvage units recruited to assist in
clearing the streets were proving
of great value in reopening the
great port to establish vital supply
lines.
With the capture of Ruviano the
Americans had forced their way onto
the important highway extending
north through Alvignano and Dra-
gonl across the Volturno to Alife
and Piedmont d'Alife, and cutting
across German communications.
While Middle East heavy bombers
again pounded Martha airdrome on
Rhodes and Cos harbor in the Do
deCanese and Syros harbor in the
Aegean, Northwest African bombers
and fighters attacked communlca-
tions behind the lines, bombing
bridges south of Rome and the east
coast railway near Pescara.
Yesterdays air attacks were car
ried out despite unfavorable weather
Medium bombers attacked Allie
on the highway above Capua. In
daylight yesterday, fighters made
sweeps up the east coast toward An
coma, $50 miles northwest of Terpoh,
hitting the coastal railway and
knocking out trains and motor
transport. Three aircraft were listed
as missing from all operations.
Locomotives Shot Up.
Two locomotives and number OF
railway cars were shot up in the
raids toward Ancona.
In other sweeps up the Adrlatc
coast Warhawks scored direct hits
on a bridge south Of Caramanico,
southwest of Chleti.
Air Force headquarters announced
that the Germans had lost more
than $500 aircraft in the Mediter-
ranean in the II months since the
Allies landed in North Africa. The
official statement said 1,245 Axis
planes had been found on airfields
in Italy, most of them smashed by
Allied raids.
OF the abandoned planes 697 we're
German and 566 were Italian.
In all nearly 1000 enemy planes
have been found abandoned on air.
fields captured by the Allies since
November 8, 1912, to October l8 of
this year.
In addition 1929 planes we're de-
stroyed in the air
The daily bulletin yesterday from
Allied headquarters said the enemy
had been forced back from the ma
jority of his Voltu,no positions.
In addition to the important
Allied columns advancing at the
Volturno flanks, American forces
had won important hill positions
northeast of Capua, Just off the
center Of the line. from where artil-
lery commanded long stretch of
the valley.
Yesterdays dispatches reported
the bitterest fighting raging in
rough country below the Tierno
River from Cerreto to the streams
confluence with the Volturno. Cap
ture Of both Cerreto and Amorisi,
cast Of the Volturno just above its
junction with the Galore. were an
nounced officially.
Reporting directly from the scene
of battle, Associated Press War Cor
respondent Relman NORM said in
filtration tactics employed by both
the Germans and Americans had
resulted IN scores Of isolated skir-
mishes with no solid line yet estab-
lished by either side
These f1ared over an area five or
SIX miles in depth as opposing forces
continually met unexpectedly.
At sea, British light naval units
| dartcd up both sides of the Italian
Peninsula. Along the west, a naval
conmunioue announced yesterday,
| they sank two enemy vessels in the
Plombino Channel between the is
land of Elba and the mainland. In
the Adriatic, others were fired on
by coastal batteries on Mljet Island
near the Yugoslav port of Dubrov-
mix. but escaped without damage.