Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-10-16
4 Maio Nazi Defense Towns Fall
AS Allies Advance Up to 6 Miles;
Enemys Volturno Line Shattered
5th Army Forces
Turn Back MANY
Commentaries
By the Associated Press.

by the Associated PreSs.
Allied armies captured four
major defense towns in South
ern Italy in advances up to 6
miles and surged on toward
Rome today through the crum-
bling Nazi lines north of the
Volturno and Galore Rivers and
in the mountainous central
spine.
With their Volturno line 20 miles
north of Naples and 100 miles below
Rome shattered, the Germans
showed signs of breaking away
from their positions at the mouth
of the Volturno.
The American 5th Army of 1t.
Gen. Mark w. Clark seized Caiazzo.
hard core of German resistance
mile north of the bridged Volturno
and 10 miles northeast OF Capua,
and Amorosi. north of the Galore
and just east of its junction with
the Vulturno.
The British 9Th Army captured
two major highway hubs in the
center. Campobasso and Vinchiaturo,
after driving miles forward. Cam
pobasso Is a provincial capital of
10000 and one of the most important
road functions in South Central
Italy. 1t is ia miles southeast of
Rome. Vinchiaturo is miles south
west at the crossroads of highways
between Foggia and Rome, and be-
tween Termoli and Naples.
Battle Line Almost Straight.
The central gains beat the bat
tie line almost straight, stretching
from north of the Volturno about
80 miles to point on the Adriatic
four miles above Termoli, The
towns fell "after determined as
saults," said a communique from
Allied headquarters.
(The Germans yesterday ac-
knowledged the evacuation of
Campobasso)
The 5th Army had to absorb wave
after wave of counterattacks as it
moved inexorably forward. Sew
eral bridges were constructed over
the Volturno and across these
poured torrent of men, guns and
tanks to increase the pressure on
the enemy.
BY Thursday 5th Army troops
had fought their way up the slopes
which command the whole area.
They advanced over the bodies of
large numbers of German dead and
wounded and beat down determined
rearguard action.
Ofhclal reports from Gen. Clark's
frontline headquarters indicated the
Germans apparently were trying to
dlsengage from close-quarter combat,
especially north of the mouth of the
Volturno where British units which
landed in amphibious action now are
strongly intrenched.
Cerrato Also Falls.
stabbing deep into the area north
OF the Galore into position increas-
ing the threat to the Germans VOL
turno flank, Americans also seized
Cerrato to the northeast of Amorosi.
The British capture of Campobasso
and Vinchiaturo also marked a deep
penetration threatening the flank
of the Volturno line.
German rearguards fought
sharp battle before relinuuishing
Campobasso. British forces found
the Germans had been using the
railroad there for movement of
heavy artillery almost to the time
the British drove into town.
Vlnchiaturo, town of 1000 popu-
latlon, fell after an equally brisk.
fight. Loss of these two towns will
compel Marshal Albert Kesselring
to fall back 20 miles before finding
another good lateral road-from
Vasto to 1sernia-connecting his left
and right wings.
With only seven divisions last re-
ported in action the Germans now
were faced with the necessity either
OF bringing in fresh reserves for
determined stand or continuing the
retreat toward Rome.
9Th Army Advances.
Despite hampering rains, the Brit
ish 9th Army reported gains of four
or more miles on its inland sectors
as far north as Guglionesi. Farther
north to the Adriatic coast the line
remained stationary.
Other towns and villages falling to
the 5th and 9th Armies were Castel
Campagnano, l mile south of Amo-
rosi; Telese, 3 miles east of Amo-
rosi; San Giuliano. 312 miles south
east Of Vinchiaturo; Cercepiccole, 4
miles southeast of Vinchiaturo:
(See ITALY, Page A-3D