ROMMEL IN CHARGE

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 18, 16 October 1943, Page 6

ROMMEL IN CHARGE

Germans In Yugoslavia RESISTANCE EMPHASIZED (British Official Wireless and Press Assn.) LONDON October 14. Guerrilla warfare in Yugoslavia has reached such proportions that the German forces have now been, put under the supreme command of Field-Marshal Kommel. This is announced tonight by the German radio. The radio said that the Yugoslav guerrillas had been a festering sore. For two weeks operations had been carried out against them, but the fighting was not over. The German Army and armed 'S.S. were constantly, fighting with guerrilla troops in Istria and Dalmatia. The severity of the fighting can be gauged from the numbers of dead. Booty captured shows that the Yugoslav guerrillas are armed to the teeth. They have millions of rounds of ammunition, countless lorries, tanks, armed reconnaissance cars and aircraft. . . The German radio spokesman claimed that many ammunition dumps had already been captured by the Germans, and he went on: “While I speak battles are still going on in north-east Italy, Istria, and farther to the east. Fiume was twice attacked by guerrilla forces. He declared that the Germans were now advancing from Fiume, but added: , The Yugoslav guerrillas have brought up fresh forces armed with heavy weapons. We constantly come across posters urging the population to fight against us.’ Italian Assistance. The Yugoslav radio, speaking of Italian hnits operating with the Partisans, says that reorganization of the Garibaldi Division has been concluded and that the division is now fighting in Slovenia. An Italian battalion was in action at bpat under two Italian colonels. In Montenegro at first only part of the Venezia Division fought with the Partisans, while the rest sided with the Germans. The latter have now gone over to the Partisans. It is, expected that more Italian units will join the Partisan The radio says that violent, fighting continues on several sectors, including Tusia and in Slovenia and-Istria, along the main railway line. German units which attempted to advance on Tusia were repulsed and are falling back, iu the direction of Doboj. Units of the I’ irst Groat Corps are operating along the railway line between Ogulin and , Zagreb. :Three hundred Germans were killed and ■ 355 prisoners taken. At Susak German • units repeatedly charged Yugoslav positions with tanks and infantry and ,suc- < ceeded in breaking through in the direction of Cirkvenica and Bak ir, on the i coast north of Fiume. In Montenegro Partisans captured the important traffic junction of Martine.