FINAL PHASE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 July 1943, Page 4

FINAL PHASE

OF BATTLE FOR CATANIA / ATTACK ON THE CITY AT DAWN CONTINUED AMERICAN DRIVE INTO INTERIOR. MANY ITALIANS LITTLE INCLINED TO FIGHT. (By Telegraph-—Press Association —Copyright (Received This Day, 12.35 p.m.) LONDON. July 18. Reuter states that the battle for Catania is in its final phase, with bitter and fierce fighting in the suburbs. A pilot who participated in a ■'concentrated dawn attack against Catania said the' British were then steadily breaking up the enemy forces on the southern fringe of the city. The Americans, who earlier repulsed a counter-attack near Barra Franca, are now driving north to cut the main highway across Central Sicily near Caltanissetta. They have advanced 22 miles into the interior of Sicily. A British United Press correspondent in North Africa reports that American commandos were the first to enter Porto Empedocle, after American artillery had shelled the town. American infantry followed and beat off the counter-attacking Hermann Goering Division. Allied booty in Sicily includes several six-barrelled Gorman smoke mortars, which fire compressed smoke shells.

Agrigento, the. principal South Sicilian city, fell in the evening, after a day of confused battle says the Combined British Press correspondent with the Americans. Almost 4,000 Italians in the city surrendered. “The coast road to Agrigento was blocked by antitank guns and heavy machine-gun posts and the Italians had every inch of the shallow valley covered. The Americans sidled round to the northeast of Agrigento, seeking another entry. Guns were firing steadily from the almond and olive groves around Agrigento. Suddenly the shelling stopped and mortars opened up. Then it was that the Italians gave up. They left their positions, waving white underwear in token of surrender, and the way to Agrigento was free, except for one incident when two battalions of lorry-borne Italians suddenly appeared and started to form up for a counterattack. Swiftly, American guns swung around and shells whistled across the valley. The Italians, after a few chaotic minutes, rushed to their lorries and drove away. “A young German officer, captured in Sicily said the German morale has not reached the low ebb of that of the Italians. The Germans are also better armed. Some Italians are putting up a stiff opposition, but most have not any real fighting spirit left. Some are putting on civilian clothes and are returning to their homes. Hundreds have surrendered voluntarily.

The “Daily Telegraph” correspondent at Allied headquarters says the Axis failure to adopt offensive methods of defence probably is due to the surprise by which the enemy was taken. Evidence of a lack of preparedness continues to accumulate. Communications over occupied territory have been found practically intact and are rapidly being converted to our use. Little demolition had been performed and it is officially reported that there will be little or no difficulty in getting normal facilities working quickly. The ports and harbours are in excellent condition and a steady flow lof Allied supplies is entering Southern Sicily through them. This is due to the excellent work of our who helped to prevent destruction.