ENEMY BLASTED OUT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 August 1943, Page 3

ENEMY BLASTED OUT

CF STRONG DEFENCES NEAR RANDAZZO. GOOD WORK OF ALLIED GUNS (By Telegraph—Press Association.) (Received This Day, 11.20 a.m.) RUGBY, August 13. Reports from Sicily received prior to the announcement of the fall f Randazzo said the enemy in the western sector had been pounded by the guns of both the British and American armies into a state of weakness, so that he was forced to give up commanding positions, on ridges overlooking both roads, which appeared well-nigh impregnable. The Americans in the north have carried their advance along the coast road east of Cape Orlando. In the east coast sector, where on the previous night our troops neared the towns of Giarre and Riposto, the enemy is fighting fiercely to prevent the Eighth Army pushing through towards Fiumefreddo, where the northern Mt. Etna road from Randazzo joins the eastern coastal road. The enemy is holding a line just north of Riposto, with a big concentration of artillery and mortars covering the roadway and river. Throughout yesterday our guns, supported by bombers, took on enemy guns hidden in an olive grove on a hillside and mortars hidden on ridges north of Giarre. The enemy was using some of his six-barrelled mortars, “Nebelwerfers.” Kittyhawk fighter-bombers swept down out of the sun and planted bombs in a long line across the enemy positions. A little later the Navy came into the picture. Three of our warships were seen coming up the coast. Puffs of smoke were seen coming from our ships, followed by a dull rumble as shells burst on the important road junction at Fiumefreddo, which was out of sight behind a hill.