Evening star., 1943-09-08
ItoIy
Continued From First Page.)

/ 0cIIIlally mao nOpeO 10 make
Italy battle-ground and it had
been reported that tens of thou
sands of German reinforcements
had poured into Italy in recent
weeks with a view to defending at
least the rich industrial areas of
Northern Italy, particularly in the
Pc River Valley.
Prime Minister Churchill had
characterized Italy's strength as
one-tenth that of Germany.
Earlier today bulletin from Allied
/ headquarters said Gen. Montgon-
ery's forces captured Bova Marina,
! 10 miles east of Melito on the SOUTH
ern shore Of Cslabria, and sent an
other column up the west coast 6
miles beyond Palmi to the mouth
of the sPetrace River.
Eighth Army troops still have not
/ fought the Germans in Italy" said
a dispatch from Eric Lloyd Williams,
representing the combined British
press.
The invasion continues to be a
walkover.'
Field reports told of slight skir-
| miShes with the enemy, but declared
that wherever opposition developed
it was easily overcome. Extensive
demolitions, however, made progress
relatively. SLOW.
The Italian campaign. so far is
not war. said Daniel De Luce, AS
ISOLATED Press correspondent at the
front.
ut is a kind of hare and hounds
chase with dispirited Italians and
a handful Of sullen German techni-
clans trying to break the stride of
the British pursuers by demolition
of communications"
Mr..De Luce said Axis rearguards
were offering only weak hearted re-
sistance, and only six British casu-
alties we're listed all day in one
| sector
Allied troops poured into the zone
OF operations, transported by fleets
of boats plying back and forth
across the narrow Messina Strait
under cover of Allied naval guns
and warplanes.
Emerging From Mountains.
At the mouth of the Petrace, the
British and Canadian forces were
emerging from the mountainous
country through which they have
been travelling onto small plain
extending northward some miles
to the Mesima River.
The. Allied bridgehead previously
had been bounded by Palmi-cap-
ture Of which was announced yes
terday-and by Melito.
The bridgehead now is defined by
q line running from point where
the .Petrace River enters the Gulf
of Gioia, through Seminara, De-
lianuova and. Santo Stefano to the
coastal area near Reggie Calabria,
then paralleling the coast of Bova
Marina, sufficiently inland to give
the Allies full control of the coast
road and railroad up to Bova
Marina.
Front reports generally indicated
lowering of Italian troop morale,
and civilians continued to greet the
invaders in resigned, friendly
manner.
Air Assaults Continue.
The heavy Allied air assaults con-
| tinued yesterday, with American
Flying Fortresses bombing the big
enemy airfields at Foggia-principal
base where the Germans were
known to have concentrated a great
number of bombers, fighters and
| transports-and shot down II out of
swarm of attacking fighters.
| Fortress crewmen blanketed the
fields with bombs at Foggia-inland
from the east coast opposite Naples
setting off large explosions and
fires. Gunners said the enemy op-
position was really tough
American and British medium
bombers famed out over Southern
Italy, battering at railways, gun posi-
tions, highways and enemy troops
and transports
American Mitchells scored direct
hits on the Crotone freight yards
and ABS dive bombers blew up many
trucks and trailers from a column
of Is on the Consenza-Pa road
Railroad Bridge Hit.
Mitchells also hit the combined
highway railroad bridge at LAURA
Is miles southeast of Sapri, and
other formations attacked three rail-
way bridges near Trebisacce, wreck
ing one. Marauders blasting the
freight yards at Sapri cut all rail
lines Immediately south of an i'm
portant bridge.
Raj and South African Balti-
mores struck for the second time a,
the important Capua freight yards
north of Naples, causing two explo-
sions and fire, and the RAF last
night. struck at Viterbo airfield NORTH
OF Rome, with results not announced
Immediately.
Raj Baltimores also bombed 8
road block at Catanzaro and silencec
an enemy four-gun antiaircraft bat.
terry, while American P-40 War.
hawks bombed the runway and dis.
persal area at Pagillonis Field ir
Sardinia and shot up tugboat
Four other enemy planes were sho1
down beside the IL bagged at Fog.
gia, and four Allied aircraft were
missing from all operations.
: Advance Retarded, Italians Say.
The Italian communioue broad.
cast by Rome and recorded by thu
Associated Press said Italian ane
German rear guards "are retardins
: In local combats the advance ol
British troops"
Il 1t reported new bombing attacks
on Salerno, Benevento and in Bar
Province, with 10 Allied planes de-
/ stroyed, and said Axis planes raid
/ ing Bizerte had seriously damaged
five Allied transports totaling 24,00t
r tons.
! Allied headquarters disclosed thai