PANTELLERIA GARRISON

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23970, 10 June 1943, Page 5

PANTELLERIA GARRISON

“Allies Propose Surrender” ITALIANS REPORT REJECTION (N.Z, Press Association—Copyright.) ■(Rec. 11.30 p.m.) LONDON, June 9. To-day’s Italian communique says: “The garrison of Pan(elleria yesterday refused to accept an Allied proposal to surrender, after being attacked all day from the air and violently shelled by an Allied naval formation,” Allied Headquarters in North Africa to-day issued the following corifrnunique: “An Allied force of cruisers and destroyers bombarded Pantelleria yesterday. The results were satisfactory. There was a certain amount of enemy retaliatory fire, but our ships suffered neither damage nor casualties. “The island was also bombed yesterday and the previous night. Enemy bases in southern Sardinia were also bombed yesterday. One enemy aircraft was shot down, and one of ours is missing.” A report from Berlin quoted by the Paris radio says it is considered possible that a serious attempt will be made to land on Pantelleria. The Messina rail terminus in Sicily has again been attacked by aircraft of the Middle East Command. To-day’s Middle East communique says: “During Monday night heavy bombers of the Royal Air Force attacked the ferry terminus and rail sidings at Messina. Bursts were seen near the terminus, goods station, and engine yards. Many fires were caused, including a large one near the main railway station.”

Monday’s attack on Pantelleria itarted at dawn and was kept up all day The.enemy again put up a strong umbrella of fighters, but British, American and South African airmen rained their bombs and bullets down into the target area. The last crews, to turn for home saw almost the whole island covered with dust and smoke. A correspondent says that Pantelleria was visited by Flying Fortresses, Mitchells. Marauders and fighterbombers. Six of the enemy aircraft destroyed were shot down by six Flying Fortress gunners, each of whom secured one kill each. Good results were secured with the bombing. An Italian communique issued yesterday says: “The garrison of Pantelleria is reacting with undiminished bravery in the face of uninterrupted air assaults. On Monday the garrison destroyed six aeroplanes, and a further three crashed after duels with German fighters. Enemy bombers over Messina and Trapani caused considerable damage.” A Royal Air Force communique from Malta states: ‘‘On Monday our fighterbombers attacked Palazzolo in Sicily. Bombs burst among warehouses. Our Intruders attacked road transport at night near Comiso and extinguished a light signal south of Estilo.” Atttacks on Axis shipping are reported in to-day’s Middle East communique. It says that yesterday longrange fighters and light bombers made a number of successful attacks on shipping in the Aegean Sea and off the west coast of Greece. Two tailing ships were set on fire. One was left listing badly, and a third was left smoking. Two tugs were suc-Mi'-iully attacked in the ' Gulf of wmth. All the Allied aircraft returned. As the Allied air offensive against Italy’s island outposts increases in intensity, recalling the technique of the African campaigns in which every land attack was preceded by a maximum air blitz, Marshal Kesselring has twitched his fighter squadrons to the threatened zone in a desperate effort to itop the paralysing raids, but their intervention has not interfered with the relentless onslaught and has cost the Axis heavy losses. It 'has only served to underline the completeness of Allied air supremacy.

The Italian communique which yesterday reported a British attempt to land on Lampedusa Island, between Malta and Tunisia, said that the attempted landing was promptly repulsed by the defences, which sank several enemy naval vessels. No confirmation of an attack has been given in London. The Rome radio said: "Every man reaching the shore was wiped out. This attempt brought a considerable British force and a very small Italian garrison face to face. The attempt proves that, in spite of the external appearance of the situation, which is seemingly dramatic, the Italians - are animated by the firmest will to fight.” "The first Allied attempt-to land on an Italian island has been frustrated." said the Berlin radio. “Military experts in Berlin do not doubt that this was a serious landing attempt by a party of five companies of well-trained troops, equipped with modern automatic weapons. The whole attempt lasted only a few hours. If the Allies intended the raid to be a test of the resistance from Italian troops when defending their own soil, then the test ended brilliantly for the Italians.” The Germans announced recently that defences had been built on the reefs skirting Lampedusa's 25-mile coast. Last February Royal Air Force Malta-based aeroplanes knocked out Lamnedusa as an Italian seaplane base on Marshal Rommel’s air route from Sicily.