NARROWING STRIP

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 July 1943, Page 4

NARROWING STRIP

LEFT TO AXIS FORCES IN SICILY OWING TO ALLIED THRUSTS INTO INTERIOR. ENEMY TROOPS IN WEST MAY BE CUT OFF. (Bv Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, July 19. The Allied possession of Caltanissetta and Piazza Armerina means that communication through Enna (in the centre of Sicily) is so directly menaced by our advance as to be useless to the enemy. The Axis is left only with a strip of country some 30 miles wide along which to move forces in the north-east half of Sicily. Any troops the enemy may still have on the west side of the island are in danger of being completely isolated.

FIERCE RESISTANCE ONLY IN CATANIA ZONE. ALLIES STRIKING AT AXIS CORE. (Received This Day, 12.50 p.m.) LONDON, July 19. , The Fifteenth Army Group’s three-pronged drive in Sicily is advancing at all points, state the latest despatches from Allied Headquarters. The Allies are now striking aganist the core of the Axis resistance. However only the Eighth Army, in the easternmost thrust against Catania, is meeting fierce resistance from the Germans, who are fighting on their last lateral line. Italian forces have begun to crack in most sectors except that of Catania. A second column of Allied tanks is reported to have bypassed Catania and to have struck in the direction of Paterno, at the foot of Mount Etna. The Navy is reported to be shelling Acireale, on the coast about ten miles north of Catania. In addition to their major thrusts, the Americans, who have captured Girgenti and Porto Empedocle, are moving farther along the south-west coast, in the general direction of Sciacca. It is revealed that General Montgomery visited the Canadians in Sicily.

ITALIAN SURRENDERS UNDERMINING GERMAN MORALE. LITTLE PROSPECT OF ESCAPE FOR ENEMY TROOPS. (Received This Day, 1.0 p.m.) LONDON, July 19. Correspondents with the United States forces say that the wholesale surrender of groups of Italians in Sicily is undermining the morale of the German soldiers. A batch of 90 Germans who gave themselves up, after slight resistance, said: “Why should we lose our lives fighting to save this country if the people who live here won’t fight?”" The “Daily Express” military writer, Mr. Morley Richards, says the Germans may have given up the hope of saving Sicily. It is remarkable that British naval units are able to patrol the Messina Straits without being attacked. Even the batteries in the toe of Italy offer no opposition. This suggests that prospects of evacuating any substantial forces are declining. A considerable number of German air personnel have been flown off the island, but the bulk of the ground force seems to have little chance of escape. The Berlin radio’s commentator, Captain Sertorius, reports that grim battles continue in the Catania area. The Allies, who have launched frontal attacks in the coastal sector, have so farfailed to break through, he says. Therefore they are attempting to operate further inland and thus outflank the German defences. In several actions the Axis successfully carried out a shortening of its front lines, according to a plan aimed at occupying defence positions in the interior, which are gradually increasing in ‘strength, depth and compactness.

PRISONER STORIES ITALIAN SOLDIER’S ERROR. GERMAN WHO WANTED TO JOIN CANADIANS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 1.39 p.m.) RUGBY, July 19. Many prisoners of war stories are circulating round the front, according to one Press correspondent at an Allied Force headquarters. He quotes two of them. An Italian 'soldier was not informed of the landing until two days afterwards, and, seeing ships lying off Pachino Peninsula, though the Italian Navy had put to sea. Then there is the story of a German who hid in an Italian home to evade the Canadians. At night the Italians tried to murder him, but he got away, gave himself up to the Canadians and asked to join them to fight the Italians. Speeding north-west along twisting, dusty mountain roads, the Canadians have thrust into the heart of Sicily. A Press correspondent with the Canadians in Sicily says: “After British troops captured Vizzini, Canadian infantry and armour struck west to capture Grammichele, fought a fierce engagement with a* German-Italian force and pressed on to occupy Caltagirone, 35 miles west of Augusta.”