RAPID DEVELOPMENT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 July 1943, Page 3

RAPID DEVELOPMENT

OF ALLIED OFFENSIVE AXIS RETREAT POSSIBLE. INTO NORTH-EASTERN CORNER OF SICILY. LONDON, July 20. The Allied offensive in Sicily is developing rapidly. In the centre of the island American and Canadian columns have been converging) on Enna, and one report today z says that this town has been reached. It is an important centre of communications which radiate to all parts of the island,, and the=advance greatly restricts enemy movement from east to ; west. , In the east the attackers were reported last night to be only 2J miles from Catania, and the battle for possession of the town is now on. The Axis troops here are fighting hard, for capture of the town, port and airfields would open the way for an advance up the coast and inland round the base of Mt. Etna toward Messina. Faced with this difficult situation, the enemy’s most obvious decision would be to fall back and defend the north-eastern corner of Sicily and the narrow strait dividing it from the Italian mainland. A report indicates that this movement may have already begun; enemy forces with heavy and light equipment have been seen moving northward behind Catania. The Algiers radio says that Allied air reconnaissance has observed a general 'movement of enemy retreat toward north-western Sicily. Enemy forces • are falling back by road and rail on Messina. The reports have mentioned' considerable defensive preparations round Messina, and everything is apparently being done for a final prolonged stand. According to a report received in Madrid from France, General Guzzoni, the Italian commander in Sicily, has s*ent a memorandum to the King of Italy stating that he is unable to guarantee prolonged resistance on the is- - land.