NEED OF WEAPONS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 July 1943, Page 3

NEED OF WEAPONS

ITALY WITHOUT ARMOURED DIVISION VAIN APPEALS TO GERMANY. KING SENDS FOR BADOGLIO. LONDON, July 20. it is known in London that Germany has been unable to supply Italy with armaments to enable her to put up a fight against the modern equipment of the Allies, says the diplomatic correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph.”

The Italian Army is without an armoured division, and is not receiving assistance from Germany in forming one. The military authorities are attempting to organise such a division from the remnants of three armoured divisions which were destroyed in North Africa. At present the Italian Army in fact needs every type of weapon. Repeated appeals to Germany have failed to produce them. There is no likelihood whatever that the situation will improve now that Germany is involved in major operations in Russia, which are causing her to call on her own reserves in ever-increasing quantities. It is assumed in certain quarters that Germany is noW reckoning on the loss of Italy and can afford her little more than token assistance against the Allies. The complete silence of Mussolini following the invasion of Sicily remains one of the greatest mysteries of the Italian situation, says the Madrid correspondent of the “Daily Mail.” As far as is known, he has not even met the members of the Italian General Staff since the beginning of the month. The King, on the other hand, has taken a significant step in sending for Marshal Badoglio from the country home where he has lived in seclusion for many months, to ask for his view of the military situation.

ANOTHER GENERAL CAPTURED BY EIGHTH ARMY. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.0 a.m.) RIJGBY, July 20. Another Italian general was captured yesterday, states a Press correspondent at an Allied command post. He is Major-General Julio Porcinari, commanding the 54th Napoli Division. He and his headquarters staff were captured by the Eighth Army. '