▁and ▁V ▁Corps ▁H Q ▁following ▁in ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁short ▁bounds . ▁By ▁ 2 3 ▁April ▁the ▁corps ▁had ▁closed ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁River ▁Po , ▁with ▁H Q ▁in ▁Mont es anto . ▁The ▁corps ▁began ▁crossing ▁the ▁Po ▁the ▁next ▁day . ▁ 5 th ▁( L ) ▁Corps ▁Sign als ▁had ▁pract ised ▁' long ▁span ▁construction ' ▁for ▁string ing ▁signal ▁cable ▁across ▁a ▁wide ▁obst acle , ▁but ▁its ▁first ▁cable ▁across ▁the ▁river ▁util ised ▁a ▁dam aged ▁railway ▁bridge . ▁A ▁second , ▁long ▁span , ▁crossing ▁was ▁swe pt ▁away ▁within ▁ 4 8 ▁hours . ▁By ▁ 2 9 ▁April ▁Corps ▁H Q ▁and ▁Sign als ▁had ▁reached ▁Bos aro . ▁On ▁ 2 ▁May ▁the ▁German ▁forces ▁in ▁Italy ▁surrender ed . ▁ ▁The ▁German ▁surrender ▁did ▁not ▁end ▁the ▁rapid ▁advance , ▁as ▁elements ▁of ▁E ighth ▁Army ▁continued ▁on ▁into ▁Austria . ▁V ▁Corps ▁H Q ▁and ▁Sign als ▁reached ▁Nov enta ▁Pad ov ana ▁on ▁ 1 ▁May , ▁U d ine ▁on ▁ 4 ▁May , ▁and ▁Tr ices imo ▁on ▁ 7 ▁May . ▁It ▁had ▁out run ▁its ▁line ▁communic ations ▁and ▁its ▁wireless ▁was ▁over work ed : ▁additional ▁sets ▁were ▁borrow ed ▁from ▁Army , ▁Division ▁and ▁Brigade ▁signal ▁units ▁to ▁control ▁traffic ▁at ▁river ▁cross ings ▁and ▁along ▁the ▁roads ▁cr ammed ▁with ▁form ations ▁moving ▁north . ▁V ▁Corps ▁entered ▁Austria ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁May ▁and ▁established ▁its ▁H Q