TAKING SHAPE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 June 1943, Page 4

TAKING SHAPE

PATTERN OP ALLIED ATTACK ON ITALY DEVELOPMENT OF BOMBING OFFENSIVE. ENEMY EXPECTATIONS OF INVASION. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) (Received This Ray. 12.45 p.m.) LONDON. June 21. The pattern of the Allied air attack against Italy and Sicily is becoming clearer as the attacks grow heavier. The names of places attacked during the past three days reqd like a map of South Italy— Naples, Foggia, Castel Vetrano, Messina, Borizzo, Milo, San Giovanni, Porto Empedocle, Marsala, Spinazzcla, Reggio di Calabria, Licata and Syracuse. Allied biows against South Italy have never been so widespread and continuous. While Marauders were bombing Sicilian airfields yesterday, their escorting Lightnings had a terrific mixup with fifteen Messerschmitt 109 s, of which 12 were shot down by Lightnings and two by Marauders. The Rome radio says the attacks Axis warplanes are carrying out against Allied shipping concentrations ■ at Pantelleria and Bizerta aim to make it as difficult as possible for the Allies to bring up supplies and forces for any attempted landing. The Allies, if they succeed in overcoming the difficulties of landing in force, must fight on land without the superiority of men and materials they had in North Africa, it is added. The Rome radio has also announced additional measures to prepare { the people of Italy and Sicily for what is called “the approaching assault against the European Continent.”. A Fascist Party inspector called a conference of local leaders at Caltanissetta, in Sicily, and instructed them what to do in the event of an invasion. Pereschi, Minister of Agriculture, has toured Sicily, giving similar directions. The Berlin radio’s military spokes- ■ man, General Dietmar, said: “British tactics since Napoleon have been dominated by amphibious strategy. The British have always maintained contact with ports and ships. It can safely be assumed that the British, in attempting to invade Europe, will follow the old amphibious strategy. British eyes may well be turning to the Mediterranean, where the Italian and Balkan peninsulas are jutting into the sea. There are also many Mediterranean islands which can be used as stepping stones, but today a greater degree of sea supremacy is necessary than in Napoleon’s day. Big events in Russia helped the Duke of Wellington. The British and Americans today presumably are relying on similar assistance from Russia. We believe they are over-confident.” The Algiers radio reported that the Allied High Command has again listed precautionary, measures the French people should take: “Everyone firstly must watch over the safety of his own family. Secondly, all should contribute their utmost to the organisation of a resistance movement. Thirdly, they must at all costs keep the resistance movement secret and also all secrets relating to co-operation with troops in the coming operations. Fourthly all must realise that the success of th'e coming operations and also the speed of their execution must depend in some degree upon their preparedness. Fifthly, you must display discipline equal to your resolution and patience equal to your confidence in victory. Sixthly, you must not act prematurely, but await the opening of large-scale Allied operations, of which you will be advised.”

A message from La Linea reports that thirty landing launches, each armed with two guns and carrying a crew of 25, left Gibraltar for North Africa. Seventy merchantmen are in harbour, some unloading hundreds'of cases containing fighter planes, which are being assembled, armed and fuelled at the airport.