MADE TOO LATE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 June 1943, Page 3

MADE TOO LATE

DECISION TO REINFORCE ISLANDS FLOW OF SUPPLIES ' n BLOCKED BY ALLIED AIR ONSLAUGHT. NAZIS PRESSING FOR USE OF ITALIAN FLEET. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, June 7. The German High Command’s decision to reinforce and fortify the outlying islands in the Mediterranean has been made too late, says Reuter’s Algiers correspondent.

Long trainloads of anti-aircraft guns, ammunition, planes, stores and personnel have burdened the overloaded railway leading southward , from the Brenner Pass to the Messina trainferry, but now that the tremendous Allied air onslaught has started the - enemy is completely unable to rush the air force equipment to the beleaguered islands. The Rome correspondent of the Stockholm newspaper “Dagens Nyheter” reports that the Swedish legation in Rome has advised Swedish nationals to evacuate the city.

The Germans are reported to be pressing Mussolini to throw the Italian Fleet into the struggle to hold Europe’s southern front, says the “Daily Mail's” correspondent on the Italian frontier. The Duce has resisted the demand, but the situation has become so acute that something approaching an ultimatum from Hitler is expected. The Germans argue that the Italian warships must leave their present' “safe” bases to take up battle stations to the south now that the menace to Europe has reached a climax. Mussolini, it is, believed, maintains that the fleet must not be squandered but should be held in reserve till an Allied invasion has actually begun. Discussions are continuing between the Italian admirals and the German naval attache in Rome.

DETAILS OF DAMAGE IN ATTACKS ON FERRY TERMALS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.33 a.m.) RUGBY, June 7. A R.A.F. Middle East Communique states: “A strong force of American heavy bombers in daylight yesterday attacked the railway ferry termini at Messina, San Giovanni and Reggio di Calabria. At Messina bursts were seen on railway sidings and near the naval barracks and oil installations in the harbour area. The San Giovanni terminus was directly hit and at Reggio bursts were seen south of the terminus and near a ferry boat. Over 30 enemy aircraft attempted to interfere in these operations. American bombers destroyed at least eight’ Messerschmitts and damaged others, without loss to themselves. Our fighters shot down two Italian planes yesterday in the Eastern Mediterranean. ...”

The communique also states that a Junkers 52 was shot down oft Sardinia by a Beaufighter, making the bag of enemy planes for the day 19, against the loss of one Allied machine. A small number of enemy aircraft approached Malta yesterday, but did not cross the coast, being engaged by fighters and heavy anti-aircraft fire.