STORM OF ATTACK
ON ITALIAN ISLAND STRONGHOLD FOUR HEAVY BOMBING RAIDS ON PANTELLERIA. IN PERIOD OF TWELVE HOURS. LONDON, May 24. The Mediterranean air forces are making more concentrated attacks on the Italian base of Pantelleria, midway between Tunisia and Sicily. The island has been raided four times in the last 12 hours.
Early yesterday bombers paid their first visit. An hour later docks and shipping were bombed; four hours later direct hits were scored on the airfield and at nightfall 40001 b. “block-busters" were dropped on the harbour and airfield, starting huge fires. The island of Lampedusa, half-way between Malta and Tunisia, was also attacked. Naval aircraft attacked an enemy convoy oft Sicily.
INVASION THREAT PANTELLERIA ONLY FIRST STEP. IMPORTANCE OF SICILY & SARDINIA. LONDON. May 23. While Allied air power in the Mediterranean is smashing the shield of planes which the Axis is trying to maintain against the threat of invasion of Italy and her islands, commentators in London discuss what this portends.
The “Observer's" air commentator says that Pantelleria is the first step, and then Sicily and Sardinia must be occupied if Italy is to be successfully invaded. Sicily especially must be ours so that we may provide an umbrella of short-range fighters to cover the mainland bridgeheads.
ITALIAN ARMY NOT YET WRITTEN OFF. PROSPECTS OF RESISTANCE. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, May 23. Reports reaching this country indicate that Italy will “put up a fight” if invasion is attempted. In addition to the order for all Italians of military age abroad to return home, fresh and stricter medical examinations have just been ordered for conscripts in the rejected and lowhealth categories. Troops have been withdrawn from Albania. More young classes are also being called up. The strength of the Italian Army before the war was about 1,500,000. Today it is probably greater. Equipment rather than numbers has always been the Italians’ difficulty.
There seems to be no doubt that it would be erroneous to write off the Italian Army as a fighting force. Furthermore, it may well be that they will fight better in their own country than outside it.
Reports state that nearly all the seaside resorts in the Tyrrhenian Sea have been barred to visitors, including Ostia (near Rome, and otherwise known as Lido di Roma), which was recently bombed by the R.A.F. Many sports features have been cancelled, while public dances are forbidden in many places.
MORE GUNS FOR DEFENCE OF SOUTHERN ITALY. MUSSOLINI’S REPORTED DEMAND. (Received This Day, 10.0 a.m.) LONDON, May 24. Describing the Allied onslaught on Sicily, Sardinia and Southern Italy as an attempt to force the Sicilian Channel, a Rome radio broadcaster stated: “The British and Americans are pressing the attack against Italy. Probably this is part of the softening up process which apparently is to lead to the Axis soft under-belly, which we are told is Italy.” Neutral reports state that Messelring, the Luftwaffe chief in the Mediterranean and organiser of the defence against the Allies’ air attacks, held a council of war with Mussolini, which was also attended by General Ambrosio, Italian Commander-in-Chief, and Mackensen, Hitler’s envoy to Rome. Mussolini is reported to have demanded more heavy German coastal guns for Italy’s southern coast, to bolster up the Italian defences. The Paris radio said it is reported from Rome that the Italian Minister for Agriculture, Signor Verasci, told an inter-Ministerial conference that the food situation in Italy was satisfactory and that food stocks were sufficient to last until the new crop became available. The British United Press says the Italian freedom radio station “Milano Liberto” broadcast an appeal to Sicilians to save Sicily by staging an armed rising against the Fascists and opening the gates of the island to the democratic powers. » REPEATED BLOWS STRUCK AT PANTELLERIA. AND AGAINST TARGETS IN SARDINIA. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.15 a.m.) RUGBY, May 24. A North Africa communique states: “North African air forces directed an offensive against Pantelleria when Mitchells and Marauders, escorted by Warhawks, attacked the docks and airfield. In the docks, hits were made on five small vessels and on moles. On the airfield bombs were seen to burst among aircraft on the ground. At night, Wellingtons continued the offensive on the harbour and airfield. Fires were started.
“Lightnings bombed Carlo Forte Harbour and other targets in Sardinia yesterday and on Saturday night. Two Italian bombers were destroyed. Two of our aircraft are missing.”
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Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 May 1943, Page 3
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736STORM OF ATTACK Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 May 1943, Page 3
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