SHORT BUT SHARP

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 July 1943, Page 3

SHORT BUT SHARP

NAVAL BLOW AT ITALIAN MAINLAND WARSHIPS SHELL CATRONE PROGRESS ON LAND FRONTS. IMPORTANCE OF THE CAPTURE • OF ENNA. (B, Telegraph—Press The Royal Navy has carried out its first bombardment of the Italian mainland since the opening of the Sicilian campaign. A British reporter with the navy says that the target was Catrone, on t e south-east coast of Italy. For five minutes shells were poured agains the harbour area, causing a number of fires. There were no casualties or damage in the warships. With the Axis armies in central and western Sicily retreating toward the Messina sector, General Eisenhower has told correspondents that the enemy is trying to establish a strong defence line in the east of Sicily, including the region of Mt. Etna, and is bringing re inforcements from Italy and Germany. General Eisenhower described the battle near Catania as bitter, with a general slow by the Eighth Army It is commented that the break-up of the Axis resistance to the west is undoubtedly due to the capture of Enna, which fell to a joint United States and Canadian attack. It was only a few days ago that Italian commentators spoke of Enna as the strategic key to Sicily. The Canadian troops have pushed well to the north of Enna, in spite of attempts to delay them by blowing up roads and bridges. The American Seventh Army is fanning out rapidly inland and round the coast, and the enemy appears to be in full retreat. The importance of the capture of Enna is stressed by the “Daily Telegraph’s” military writer. He points out that the trend of the valleys in eastern Sicily is from west to east, and the main roads follow the valleys; thus, our forces based on Enna can operate generally with the grain of the country either north-east through Nicosia or eastward down the Salso and Dittaino valleys to turn the enemy defences in front of Catania and Gcrbini. “In fact,” he says, “Catania is no longer the decisive front. If the Eighth Army can, contain the enemy at Catania, successful penetration by the Allies north-east and east from Enna will finish the business.” The military commentator of “The Times” says that with Enna the enemy has lost control of the best highroad running east to west through central Sicily. He may be able to delay the American advance for a time if it is elected to defend the hills between that road and the much inferior parallel road through Nicosia. Should the enemy withdraw to the north, the important road junction of Nicosia is thi most probable centre of his next stand, but nothing indicates that the Italian forces in the centre and west of Sicily are in the mood to offer more than somewhat perfunctory resistance to the determined advance.

FAILING MORALE ' OF GERMAN SOLDIERS. DENOUNCED BY COMMANDER. LONDON, July 22. Though the Germans have been figl. ting stubbornly and well, there are signs that even their morale is not perfect. An order from the commander of the Hermann Goering Division has fallen into Allied hands. It states: “I have had the bitter experience of watching scenes which are not worthy of German soldiers.”. He mentions men running to the rear crying hysterically, and men being taken in by false rumours and moving whole columns to the rear. These acts, he says, have been committed not only by the youngest soldiers, but also by N.C.O’s. and warrant officers, and he threatens the death penalty in further cases.

Such of the cable news on this page as is so headed has appeared in “The Times,” and is cabled to Australia and New Zealand by special permission. It should be understood that the opinions are not those of “The Times” unless expressly stated to be so.