The Wilmington morning star., 1943-11-30
BRITISH EIGHTH
OPENS OFFENSIVE

day morning with jjunction to hit
the Germans a colossal crack. -
Flame-Throwers Used
Repeated German counterattacks
with flame-throwirg tanks in the
van, failed to halt the offensive,
but extremely heavy fighting con-
tinued. The possibility of the enc
my rushing additional armored
forces into the danger areas was
seen in report that Allied air.
men had strafed tanks loaded on
motor transporters ir areas east
of Rome.
The second thrust across t h e
Sangro at Arch appeared to put
the Eighth Army astride a lateral
road which has been used by the
Nazis to supply their elaborate de.
fensive positions behind the river.
This strategic highway is several
miles back from the Sangro else.
where, but opposite Archi it swings
down into the river valley only
a mile from the banks of tn e
stream.
German anxiety over the stu
alton was reflected in the weight
of the enemy's many counterat-
tacks against the slugging British
forces, as well as in his continued
heavy artillery fire against Amer
lean positions on the Fifth Army
front. Reconnaissance showed the
Nazis Still were working hard on
their emplacements guarding the
main road to Rome from Mignano
through Casino.
Americans Gain
West of Venafro, American
troops of 1t. Gen. Mark w. Clark S
Fifth Army gained more hi g h
ground in a limited advance and
broke up determined German coun-
terattacks. A headquarters COM
munique said valuable informa-
ton" was being gathered by Fifth
Army patrols penetrating enemy
territory.
Cor the first time in weeks,
advices from Aiglers. failed to tell
of torrential rains and ankle-deep
mud on the Italian front, leading
to the supposition that the weather
had at last partially cleared and
that heavy equipment might quick
ly regain its mobility
AS usual when Gen. Montgomery
sends his Eighth Army into bat
tie, yesterday mornings assault
was preceded by hours of massed
artillery bombardment that turn
ed the enemy's positions into a
cauldron of fire and explosions. AS
the attack progressed. the Allied
air force shuttled across the San.
gro to unload a steady stream OF
bombs on the Nazis. Fourteen
large formations of American, Brit
ish and South African light bomb.
ers carried the brunt of this as.
sault.
The German air force, making
its first appearance in strength
over the battle lines in e e n |
weeks, sent three formations O.
fighter-bombers against t Re ad
vancing British troops, but each
group was intercepted by Spitfires
which destroyed two Messer
schmitt-109s and one Focke-Wuf
100 and damaged others.
Helping to cut the enemy's line
of supplies from northern Italy
two British destroyers bombardec
the Adriatic port of Civitanova, 81
miles up the coast from the San
gro, while American ABS dive
bombers created what was Off
cially reported as widespread con
fusion and havoc" among enemy
troop concentrations, barracks anc
road traffic in the Rome area.
The American planes destroyed
at least 10 trucks, damaged many
railway cars and tank transport
ers and attacked railway stations
power plants and radio stations
American SpitfIres strafed troops
and vehicles near Gioia and Avez.
zano, east oil Rome, and P-40 War.
hawks hammered gun positions
northwest OF Mignano Eight Nazi
planes were destroyed during the
day and seven Allied planes were
missing.
The Eighth Army's main pene-
tration into the German winter
line" was in the direction of Castel
Fretano, which is situated on high
ground five miles beyond the San.
gro and some nine miles inland
from the sea At last report, this
spearhead was about eight miles
from the forces expanding their
bridgehead opposite Archi.
The Florida everglades cover