DOOMED ISLAND

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 June 1943, Page 4

DOOMED ISLAND

NEW HEIGHTS OF INTENSITY IN MERCILESS BATTERING OF PANTELLERIA. TERRIFIC NAVAL AND AIR BOMBARDMENT. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 1.15 p.m.) LONDON, June 9. The merciless battering of Pantelleria by Allied sea and air power reached new heights of intensity yesterday, when shells and bombs rained down on the islandfortress ceaselessly for 76 minutes in co-ordinated attacks. The Rome radio stated tonight: “Overwhelming air and naval forces are besieging Pantelleria.” Correspondents aboard the strong force of heavy cruisers and destroyers taking part in the bombardment vividly describe how shells were plugged at the closest range into coastal batteries and harbour defences simultaneously as heavy British and American bombers rained down thousands of bombs. The island seemed to rock under the terrific hammering and was almost completely obliterated by smoke clouds rising from tho bomb-torn land. Dense clouds of smoke thousands of feet high rose from the island. The coastal batteries were left twisted and smashed. A gigantic pall Of smoke was still seen to overhang the island when the squadron were forty miles away, after the action.

An Associated Press correspondent at a North African United States Air Force base says American airmen attacking Pantelleria enjoyed a rare cloud-seat, view at over 20,000 feet, as British warships pounded the same target. “As soon as the Fortresses began unloading their bombs, the warships turned en masse and started in until it looked as though they were within a quarter of a mile of Pantelleria Harbour. They then turned broadside on and let fly with everything they had."