ALLIED AIM

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 May 1943, Page 4

ALLIED AIM

IN AIR ATTACKS ON SICILY & SARDINIA

TO WIPE OUT ALL AXIS BASES.

AND CUT OFF ISLANDS FROM MAINLAND.

(By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright)

(Received This Day, 12.30 p.m.) LONDON, May 25.

Allied planes continue their devastating raids on Italian island bases. More than 300 planes took part in yesterday's attacks, which were concentrated upon nine important targets in Sardinia. Nine enemy planes were shot clown and others were destroyed on the ground. Twelve vessels were hit in various ports and one supply ship blew up. The Rome radio says the city area of Cagliari has been evacuated, because of heavy Allied air raids. Observers returning from the raid r.n Reggio Di Calabria, which is the mainland terminus of the ferry from Sicily, said the ground in the vicinity of supply depots seemed to be swallowed up in explosions. Photographs show that recent attacks left the ferry installations almost Unserviceable.

Another message states that while the main Allied attack was against Sardinia, where 300 planes from North Africa wrought indescribable damage, the attacks against San Giovanni and Reggio Di Calabria were equally important. These two ports, on the toe of Italy, opposite Messina, constitute the only real link between the Italian mainland and Sicily. Military circles in London regard the aim in this tremendous Allied assault as plain—to wipe out all the Axis air bases in the islands and cut off Sicily and Sardinia from the mainland.

The most serious business of the day over Sardinia was done by Flying Fortresses, whose pattern bombing, from high altitudes, over these Mediterranean objectives is l proving increasingly efficient. While the principal targets wore situated near the coast and included much shipping, close formations of bomb-carrying Lightnings roamed over Sardinia, hitting opportune targets and creating havoc along lines of communication. An American pilot says one plane dropped an entire load on a supply ship, which disintegrated. Flying Fortresses severely damaged a causeway, linking the naval base of La Maddelena and Caprera Island. They also hit a swing bridge on an oil pier mole. Bomb-carrying Lightnings in a raid against Carloforte Harbour, directly hit and set on fire two supply ships and sank two smaller ships. They also hit docks, which Warhawks further damaged in a later raid. Another Lightning formation machinegunned twelve seaplanes at Porto Conte, leaving four in flames. Observers predict that the Axis aerodromes in Sardinia and Sicily will soon be completely unuseable.

MALTA PLANES MINES LAID IN ENEMY WATERS. SICILIAN AIRFIELD BOMBED. (British Official Wireless.! (Received This Day, 10.45 a.m.) RUGBY, May 25. An R.A.F. Malta communique states: “Last night our aircraft laid mines in enemy waters. Others of our aircraft bombed Catania, in Sicily. The results were not observed.”