HAVOC IN CATANIA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 May 1943, Page 3

HAVOC IN CATANIA

HARBOUR DEVASTATED TANKER AND OTHER VESSELS SET ON FIRE. ONE BELIEVED TO BE LADEN WITH AMMUNITION. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.52 a.m.) RUGBY, May 12. A Middle East communique states: "In daylight yesterday, heavy bombers' of the United States Air Force, escorted by R.A.F. fighters, carried out a highly successful attack on the harbour of Catania, on the east coast of Sicily. A strong force of bombers blew up an ammunition ship, set a tanker on fire, and scored direct hits on other shipping. Damage was done to moles and harbour installations, one mole, which had three ships tied up to it, being demolished The whole dock area was left in flames. The bombers shot down a Junkers 88 and a Macchi 200 while returning to their base.

In a sweep off the west coast of Greece on. May 10, attacks were made on shipping and harbour installations. Bombs were seen to burst among a number of small vessels, and fires were started in the dock area.

“From all these operations, one of our aircraft is missing.’” Some 50 Liberators of the American Ninth Bomber Command made yesterday’s attack on Catania harbour. The crews saw a tanker explode and burn with such violence that it was easily visible nearly 10 miles away. Direct hits on at least two other enemy vessels are reported. One, believed to be an ammunition carrier, was left burning and struggling to leave the harbour before the flames spread to other vessels. ATTACKS BY AIR ON LAND AND SEA TARGETS MARSALA BATTERED HEAVILY. FIFTEEN ENEMY AIRCRAFT DESTROYED IN COMBAT. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.52 a.m.) RUGBY, May 12. A North Africa communique states,: “Enemy forces which still hold the hills west of Bou Ficha are now completely encircled and British and French troops of the First and Eighth armies are closing in from all sides. . . . Yesterday the harbour, railroad yards, warehouses and seaplane base of Marsala were attacked by a large force of heavy and medium bombers of the Strategic Air Force, with a fighter escort. Many very large fires were started and numerous direct hits were scored on various targets. During the course of this attack fifteen enemy aircraft were destroyed in combat.

Fighter-bombers and long-range fighters attacked a large schooner, setting it on fire. The enemy abandoned one ship after it had been badly damaged, while a second vessel was beached on an island. During these operations two Junkers 52s were shot down. “From these and other operations one of our aircraft is missing.” GOOD ADVICE GIVEN TO ITALIANS. IN LEAFLETS DROPPED BY AIRMEN. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This l Day, 9.52 a.m.) RUGBY, May 12. An agency message from Allied African Headquarters states that in a recent raid on Marsala, in Sicily, 300,000 leaflets were dropped telling the Italians that they could help to prevent bombing by praying for peace, demanding peace and demonstrating for peace. DEVASTATING EFFECT OF ANTI-PERSONNEL BOMBS. CONTRIBUTES TO ENEMY DEFEAT. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.45 a.m.) RUGBY, May 12. ■ The German defeat in Tunisia is in no small way due to the devastating effect of anti-personnel bombs dropped on woods, vineyards, hayfields and olive groves, says the Air Ministry News Service, in giving the results of an inspection by the officer commanding the Tactical Bomber Force. Grass and bushes were found mown flat in huge circles, and scattered remains of blown-up machine guns, etc., proved the successful result of the blast. MARSHAL ROMMEL DECORATED BY HITLER. ACCORDING TO GERMAN HIGH COMMAND. (By Telegraph—Press’Association—Copyright) LONDON, May 11. The German High Command, in a I statement quoted by the Berlin radio, says that Field-Marshal Rommel was in Germany under medical treatment when the British opened their offensive at El Alamein. He returned to North Africa against the advice of his doctors and had to remain after the landing of the British and American forces in French North Africa. The field-marshal’s health deteriorated and the Fuehrer ordered him, after reaching the Gabes position, to return to Germany. On March 11 he reported to the Fuehrer’s headquarters and received a decoration from Hitler, “who will entrust him with a new task after complete recovery.”