MADE BY THE AMERICANS IN SICILY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 July 1943, Page 3

MADE BY THE AMERICANS IN SICILY

Outskirts of Marsala Reached AND PALERMO NOW CLOSELY THREATENED GERMANS STILL RESISTING STUBBORNLY ON APPROACHES TO CATANIA. LONDON, July 22. The United States Seventh Army, rapidly advancing in south-west Sicily, has reached the outskirts of Marsala. Mr Patterson, United States Under-Secretary for War, giving this news, said the fall of the town was believed to be imminent. The Americans have covered 80 miles to reach this most westherly part of Sicily, at an average speed of advance of 12 miles a day. ' , x . . ~ The Allied front now extends from end' to end of the island. The Americans are also advancing towards Palermo, on the north coast and some reports put the Americans only 15 miles distant from that city. In Eastern Sicily the Eighth Army has captured Rammacca, 20 miles south-west of Catania. Very fierce fighting is raging south of Catania, where British and Canadian troops have made further advances, but .the Germans are stubbornly contesting every inch of ground. . Allied aircraft continue to attack Italian targets. Flying Fortresses yesterday made a heavy raid on an airfield 90 miles north of Rome. On the previous night, R.A.F. and Canadian Wellingtons bombed marshalling yards and docks at Naples. Another airfield, near Taranto, was also attacked.