NAVAL ACTIVITY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 August 1943, Page 3

NAVAL ACTIVITY

VALUABLE AIR GIVEN TO LAND FORCES FORCES PUT ASHORE BEHIND ENEMY. MAY HAVE CUT OFF REARGUARDS (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.35 a.m.) RUGBY, August 17. A naval communique states: — “Gunboats and destroyers operating on the right flank of the Eighth Army daily bombarded the coast roads to Messina. Light coastal forces have been operating each night in the straits. Destroyers on patrol, towards the southern end of the straits, on Saturday night, saw demolitions in progress on the Sicilian coast near Scaletta, and on the south coast of Calabria. On the same night naval forces, engaged in a sweep along the Italian coast to Cape Rizzauto, met three E-boats. After firing a torpedo, the enemy fled at high speed. Sealeri, on the south side of the Gulf of Policastor, was heavily bombarded from the sea on Saturday night, 1000 shells being fired into the port in 20 minutes. “At an early hour on Monday, south of Cape Bonifati, British naval forces sank an -armed lighter and two escort craft. Port Viba Marina was again bombarded from the sea.” The American Navy on Monday morning landed an amphibious group from the American Seventh Army near Milazzo. The landing was made without great difficulty. This is the third such landing conducted by the American Navy, in co-operation with the

Seventh Army, in the past ten days. During Monday a light formation of enemy boats was driven off by American naval units north of Messina.” A military commentator in London said that, by an extremely skilful use of demolitions,, the Germans had avoided being pinned down, although last night’s commando raid may have pinched out rearguards facing the Eighth Army on the eastern coastal road. From Messina to the cape north of the town are six beaches, each about a mile long, suitable for embarkation of the remaining enemy forces, especially as they are covered by guns on the mainland. It is very improbable that the enemy got any heavy war material away. The extent of the evacuation of troops and the number of prisoners, etc., are not yet known. This morning the Berlin radio announced the complete evacuation of .Sicily.

From all air activity by the NorthWest African Air Force over Italy in the past 24 hours, four aircraft are missing.