Evening star., 1943-11-06
Venufro and Vusto
Captured by 5th
And 9th Armies

glerS, NOV. 6.-Allled forces IN
Italy smashed away the last
remnants of the Germans pow
erful Massico Ridge -Trigno line
in taking the key points of Vasto
on the Adriatic and Venafro in
the Upper Volturno Valley, it
was announced today.
Forging ahead in the western sec
tor, British patrols of The 5th Army
crossed the Garigliano River 10
probe the new line which the enemy
has formed north of there.
Americans of the 5th Army drove
into the mountains after occupying
Venafro in fierce fight in the
upper reaches of the Volturno.
The Germans attached such i'm
portance TO this mountain fastness
that they threw a new division-the
305th Infantry-into the first in a
last-minute effort to save it, but
even these fresh Nazi fighters from
the north were routed by the Amer
leans.
Heavy Raid on Alba mia.
In the air war, American medium
bombers knocked out a large por-
ton of the German air forces op-
Grating from Albania with a heavy
raid yesterday on Berat Kucove air.
field in the center of Albania.
There now are five German di-
visions in battle on the 5th Army
front, it was disclosed, and three
opposing the 9th Army.
In addition to Smile surge ur
the Adriatic coast to take Vasto
9th Army troops also made gains
Of a mile and half in the region
some IS miles inland, capturing
Pietracupa, Sesame and Duronia.
The GermanG who in recent DAYS
have been using tanks in the
Adriatic coastal sector. resisted
fiercely at Vasto, where their pro-
tective mountains run down to a
shelf beside the sea. Along this
shelf runs the coastal road to Pes
cara-the back door to Rome.
Troops Near Sangro River.
In striking to Vasto, the 9th Army
swept through San Salvo, where the
Germans had held out more than a
week, and on the basis OF reports
from the front this morning the
British are within Is miles of the
Sangro River, where the Germans
undoubtedly will attempt another
stand.
The Nazis still are resisting at
some places along the north bank
OF the Trigno River, but their forces
are threatened on both sides by Gen
Sir Bernard l.. Montgomery's troops,
and they are not likely to stay much
longer.
The crossing Of the Garigliano by
British patrols was made near the
1yrrhenian coast, where the enemy
flooded fields near the river. These
patrols went into the hills north
OF the river to feel out German
strength.
No crossing of the Gsrigliano in
mass has yet been achieved, an
Allied officer said.
Airfield Wrecked.
American Mitchell bombers and
P-38 Lightning escorts devastated
the Berat Kucove airfield. one of
the bases from which the Germans
are operating against guerrilla
forces in the Balkans. There the
Germans had concentrated Stuka
dive bombers outmoded on the bat
tleflelds of Italy but still deadly
against the guerrillas who lack ali
support.
The raiders bored through heavy
antlalrcraft fire and 10 enemy de-
tenders to shower hundreds of frag
menta ton bombs among at least 20
fighters and dive bombers aground
setting many fires.
P-40 Warhawks struck at the port
OF Split in Yugoslavia, scoring sew
eral bomb hits on 20O-foot mer-
chant vessel
Liberators of the new United
States 18th Air Force hit the rail-
way bridge at Falconara- -Marittima
just north of Ancona on the east
coast line, impeding movement OF
German reinforcements of troops
and supplies, and also hammered
freight yards, barracks and ware
houses in the same area. All re-
turned safely.
Other Air Assaults.
In other raids. Allied planes
bombed motor vehicles moving to-
ward Rome from Terni, the sirfield
at Nettuno south of Rome. a fuel
dump west of Casino and other
bridges. road functions and Nazi
transports behind the battle area.
One plane was lost.
Striking heavily at German ship
ping in Aegean ports, RAF bombers
and fighters raided Lavreion Bay in
Southern Greece and the islands of
Keos and Siphnos yesterday, hitting
landing craft, barges, tugs and mo-
tor vessels, Middle East headquarters
announced.
Objectives were Kea Harbor on
Keos, southeast of Lavreion, where
landing craft and barges were dam
aged, and Kamares Bay in Siphnos
farther south, where two coastal
vessels and barges were attacked.
In new raids Thursday night and
yesterday, British bombers pounded
90 T~ -