Evening star., 1943-10-28
Enemy Resistance
Cementing; Four
Towns Captured
E. the Associated Press.

ALLIED HEADQUARTERS. Al
.giers, Oct. 28.-American troops
stabbing high up the valley OF
the Upper Volturno River have
driven a deep salient into the
enemy's lines northwest of
RaViScanina, Central Italy. while
British 9th Army engineers threw
bridges across the TrignO River
under heavy shellfire, Allied
headquarters announced today,
Enemy resistance was reported
cementing along the entire front as
the two Allied armies punched dog
gedly forward over rough country
side, moving down one strong out
post after another and approaching
the new German main lines.
-Four towns fell before the Allied
advance.
At the Adrlatic end of the front.
Gen. Sir Bernard l.. Montgomery's
headquarters announced that his
British troops had firmly secured a
brldgehead over the Trigno River
despite sharp and continuous enemy
fighting to wipe out his position on
the northwest banks.
New Bridges Built.
In the face of what was officially
termed extremely accurate" artil-
lery bOmbardment. 6th Army en-
glneers continued to throw new
lopirNnc ct,
Artillery fire also was intense to
the southwest on the 6th Army
front. where 9th Army units in a
four-mlle drive from the last pre-
viouSly announced positions captured
tbs town Of Torella del Sannio. nine
miles northwest of Campobasso, and
Mafalda. miles northwest of
Monteciltone and near the south
west bank of the Trigno.
The Berlin radio. in a broad
cast recorded in London by Reu-
tiers, said Montefalcone. along
with Torella Gel Sannio and
Montemltro. also had been aban-
doned by the Germans
The German controlled Paris
radio said Canadian forces had
launched strong attack against
the central sector of the line The
broadcast added that the NaziS
managed to halt it.D
British Gain Mile and a Half
The town of Castelmauro. 6 miles
southwest Of Palata. was taken by
6th Army units after a relatively
Small-Scale but extremely bitter bat
tie in which the British advanced
mile and a half beyond their former
line
Still farther south the Germans
employed haraSsing tactics against
the British advance forces penetrat-
ing beyond Bojano along the vital
main Hand road toward Isernia.
The NaziS employed both medium
end field artillery to hinder the
thrust of the American troops in the
central and right sectors of the 5th
Army front.
1t. Gen. Mark w. Clark's troops.
however. attacked and drove the
Germans from more important high
ground along both sides of the Vol
turno and Widened the base of their
salient by taking Riardo, 9 miles
southwest of RaViScanlna and II
miles northwest of Capua.
Still Short of Main Line.
The gains left the Americans Of
the 5th Army and the Canadians and
British on the left of the 9Th Army
still short of the main mountain de-
fense line toward which the Ger
mans are slowly withdrawing.
The difficulty of the advance was
indicated by the cOmmuniuue from
Gen. Dwight D. EiSenhoWer's head
quarters. which said, Enemy posi-
tions strongly held cover all main
approaches and have to be dealt with
in detail"
AS far as is indicated in official re-
ports the 9th Army has driven across
the Trigno only in the immediate
area of the rivers mouth.
Mafalda, taken by the 9th Army
Is about miles inland and about 2
miles south of the river. II is 4
miles southeast of Montenero, pre-
viouSly captured
Air Activity Shifted.
With the Mediterranean virtually
cleared Of enemy shipping and the
German air force apparently toe
weak and too far away to attempt
further raids on North African
ports. the Northwest African Coas-
tai Air Force has transferred its
activity largely to the Adriatic.
Numerous losses have been in
flicted in the last few weeks on
German shipping creeping from
port to port on the Italian and
Yugoslav sides of that sea.
This traffic is vital to the Ger
mans. On the Italian side the
movement of troops and supplies to
(See ITALY, Page A-20J