Evening star., 1943-10-27
Z More Towns Token
In Advance Ranging
From ; to 6 Miles
BY the Associated Press.

A L l. led HEADQUARTERS
Algiers, Oct. 27.-Allied troops
advancing three to six miles
have taken two more towns be-
low the Trigno River in Italy
but fighting generally subsided
as the last of the German rear
guards were pulled back into the
massive new mountain line
guarding Rome, official reports
disclosed today.
Air warfare intensified with at
tacks on Greek airfields and ham,
mering of enemy supplies and trans
ports in Italy.
The Nazis are withdrawing to the
left bank of the Trigno near the
Adriatic coast, headquarters said
and British 9th Army units inland
on this flank have taken Civita
Campomarano and Acquaviva Col
lecroce, both about miles below the
Trigno.
High Ground Occupied.
American troops to the west occu-
pied high ground facing Massicc
Ridge, an anchor of the new Ger
man line. They established them
selves on Mad Dog Hill" neal
Raviscanina and on another ridge
near Franchise.
The only heavy fighting yesterday
was in the 9th Army advance to the
two towns.
Canadian troops were in the
thick of the fighting and acquitted
themselves we'll, front reports said.
The German emphasis on their
defenses in the center of the front
undoubtedly was based on the reali-
zation that the road running north
westward from Vinchiaturo to Iser-
mia was of vital Importance in hold
ing their new mountain line.
Threat to Venafro.
An Allied advance along this road
which runs through the main north
south valley of the italian peninsula
would threaten Venafro, key poin,
in the new line.
Withdrawal of Nazi rear guards
into the mountain defenses might be
iikened to the pulling up OF ladders
by medieval army as it gathered
behind the walls of its fortress to
defy an enemy threatening to batter
them down.
Taking up Of a new mountain line
does not necessarily mean the Ger
man plan is simply to try to hold it
1t is quite likely they will try to
raise the siege of fortress Europe by
= terrific counteroffensive.
Nazis' Need for Victory.
In the opinion OF some Allied lead
ers, there are many reasons why the
NaZis may gamble on such a move
One is Hitler's desperate need for a
victory to boost home morale, ano
another is Field Marshal Erwin
Rommels need for a triumph to re-
establish his earlier reputation as
one of the best generals this war has
produced.
With no prospect OF major vic
tories on the sea or in the air, and
with winter coming to the Russian
front, Italy offers virtually the only
opportunity for the Germans to de-
liver a smashing blow at the Allies
American Mitchell medium bomb
ers penetrated across the Balkans
again yesterday to bomb Salonika S
Sedes and Magalo Mikra airflelds
Just outside Greece's second largest
city. They were escorted by P-38
but no enemy fighters
were met. Pilots reported excellent
coverage for both fields by bombs.
Crete Airfield Bombed.
This blow. the second delivered
against the Salonika bases, followed
attacks on Heraklion airfeld at
Crete Monday night by RAF bomb
erS.
Heavy bombers of the Northwest
Air force we're idle yester-
day, but Allied fighter -bombers and
light bombers stepped up the pace
of their attacks against enemy COM
behind the lines in
Italy, and the Germans attempted
to retaliate by sending a few Focke-
wulf 1905 raiding over 9th Army po-
sitions at the north end of the
battle line.
The Allied planes hammered rail-
way targets. motor transport, road
(See ITALY, Page A-3.)