PANTELLERIA SHELLED

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23964, 3 June 1943, Page 5

PANTELLERIA SHELLED

Two Attacks By Allied Forces SARDINIA AGAIN BOMBED (N.Z. Press Association—fcopyrlght) (Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDON. June 2. Fantellerla has twice been bombarded by Allied naval forces since the week-end. The first attack was on Sunday night. Many shells fell in the harbour area. The Italians put up no effective opposition and the Allied ships suffered neither damage nor casualties. The second attack was made yesterday. Barracks and battery areas were hit. This time the Italians offered some retaliation, but the Allied forces suffered no casualties. Pantelieria was also attacked yesterday from the air, when bombers and fighter-bombers swept over the island. Mitchells, Marauders, and Lightnings yesterday continued the assault on ports and communications in Sardinia, hitting supply vessels, railways, and port installations, Warhawks attacked a seaplane base in an island off Sicily, destroying hangars and seaplanes. When Flying Fortresses attacked Foggia on Monday the airfield and military buildings were well covered with bombs, and fires were started m the railway marshalling yards. At least 25 Junkers 88 caught on the airfield were set on fire. The Lightnings which attacked communications in Sardinia hit dock installations, a power station, and barrack buildings. During the day four enemy aircraft were destroyed in combat, and reports show that an additional one was destroyed on Sunday. One pilot said: “We left the aerodrome littered and wrecked with flaming machines.” The Americans were amused later when they were told that New York’s Mayor (Mr F. H. La Guardia) was among airmen who trained at Foggia in the last war. An Italian communique admits that the raid caused considerable damage. Twenty-seven were killed and 33 were injured. It is officially announced in Algiers that 337 enemy aeroplanes were shot down in combat in May. The Allies lost 108. Long-range fighters off the west coast of Greece on Monday night attacked a small merchant vessel, which was left with its deck cargo blazing. A small sailing vessel was attacked off the south coast of the Thermia Islands, many hits being scored with cannon. “Rush For Safety” “The roads leading from the bombdamaged Italian cities of Naples, Milan, Turin, Palermo, and Messina are choked with refugees,” says the Stockholm correspondent of the “Daily Express.” “The refugee scenes are reminiscent of those in France after the German break-through on the Marne in 1940. “Neutral travellers report that the Italian transport system has broken down under the rush for safety, and is in a state of utter chaos. The number of early morning travellers at the Milan central station has increased from 9000 to 20,000’daily. “An acute shortage of locomotives has added to the transport difficulties. One hundred of Italy’s most modern locomotives have been used to transport ‘flying divisions’ to the south to meet the Allied invasion, which the Rome radio states is near." The annual report of the Fiat works in Turin admits that Royal Air Force raids against Turin forced the dispersal of workshops. The report, which was quoted by the Berlin radio, states: “During the air raids and the resulting decentralisation of the Fiat workshops, the staff gave proof of high discipline. The annual profit sank to 38,000,000 lire compared with 59.000,000 lire in the previous year. However, the firm is still paying 10 per cent, from the profits made in earlier years.” The Stockholm correspondent of the British United Press, quoting a German newspaper, states that great numbers of invasion barges are concentrated at Allied ports in the Mediterranean. Some reached Gibraltar early last month during the final stages of the Tunisian campaign and others have arrived since then. Staff Changes The Chief of the Italian General Staff (General Ezio Rossi) has been recalled and replaced by General Mario Roatta. General Rpssihas been appointed to command an army group. General Guzzioni has also been appointed commander of an army group. General Roatta was Chief of Staff until he was replaced in January, 1942. by General Anibrosio. “Axis assertions of the impregnability of the European fortress contain a large measure of bluff," says the Berne correspondent of the “New York Times,” “The Germans have been working hard on the Atlantic coast, but the strength of the defences is far short of that claimed in propaganda. "The condition of the fortifications on the Mediterranean coast of France brings smiles to the lips of technicians. The Italians have devised a general plan which remains sketchy.. Some of their lines are described as trenches of the 1914 type. Significantly, Marshal von Rundstedt. the commander of the western defences, has established his headquarters in southern _ France, where he can watch the Italian zone, the occupation of which is now threatened by developments in Africa. “The truth seems to be that the Axis attached insufficient importance to the aerial menace when it planned the fortress, for it then enjoyed undoubted mastery Now that the tables have been turned some of the defences might prove virtually useless in mass attacks from the air.”

EMPIRE WAR CASUALTIES

LONDON, June 1. The number of officers dnd other ranks of the Royal Navy, Army, and Royal Air Force in the Far East about whose fate information has been received is 24,300. The number whose fate is unknown is 33,300. Stating this in the House of Commons, the Secretary of State for War (Sir James Grigg) added that the figures did not include Dominions or Indian personnel. Civilian casualties in Britain from September 3, 1939. to August 31, 1942, were: killed, 47,291; injured, 55,643; a total of 102,934. The Prime Minister of Australia (Mr J. Curtin) said to-day, that Australian war casualties up to March, 1943, totalled 67,191, of which 53,226 were battle casualties, and the remaining 13,965 accidental deaths or injuries. The figures were: killed (including died of wounds and injuries), 10,253; missing, 21.914; wounded or injured, 24,303; prisoners, 10.721, Mr Curtin added that the large number of men listed as missing was due mainly to the lack of official information about the losses at Singapore, but it could be expected that the number of prisoners would materially increase as the "missing” category was reduced. British Editors Invited to Australia.— An invitation to a party of British newspaper editors to visit Australia has been sent to the British Ministry of Information by the Australian Government. An Australian delegation of newspaper executives is at present on its way to London.—Sydney, June 2. The Economy of “ Baxters ” “Baxters” is such an efficient remedy that one doesn’t have to buy bottle after bottle. One small dose of "Baxters” does a lot of good and one bottle of “Baxters” judiciously used can afford benefit to the whole family. Baxters Ltd., Colombo st., Christchurch. —5