FIRST PRISONERS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 July 1943, Page 3

FIRST PRISONERS

TAKEN BY CANADIANS BEACH DEFENCES SMASHED. ADVANCE UNDER POWERFUL AIR COVER. (Bv Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) LONDON, July 11. A Canadian war correspondent gives the first eyewitness report from the island. “Behind our enormous naval and air bombardment the Canadians practically walked into Sicily,” he says. “They met with very little determined resistance when they landed on a breach right down in the south-east-ern tip of the island. After smashing through the beach defences, the infantry attacked inland, establishing an extensive bridgehead. “There was stubborn resistance by the Italians to the north and west and along other sectors there have been heated engagements. But large numbers of prisoners are being captured, and they are coming in from the front in batches of 50 to 100. So far the Canadian casualties appear to be very light.” Two companies of Canadians went in in front of the correspondent, and they broke through the beach defences in about 15 minutes. Bomb explosions and the light from a burning town helped to guide the men in the darkness. Other units landed during the morning and afternoon, and all day long vessels in the bay have been landing men and supplies. The correspondent said he was writing his dispatch at 5.15 p.m. yesterday, and so far he had not seen a single enemy air attack. R.A.F. planes were continually overhead, and the troops were advancing under powerful air cover.

The Algiers radio today slated that the Allies had met violent counter-at-tacks, but in spite of these they were consolidating their positions. The Rome radio said the Allies were fighting to get control of several harbours in order to make further landings. Yesterday the Rome radio claimed that the Italian Fleet was going into action.

A 8.8. C. correspondent in Algiers says our air forces yesterday kept up a tremendous degree of supremacy over the island.