AMERICAN PART

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 August 1943, Page 3

AMERICAN PART

IN SICILIAN VICTORY VERY HIGH STANDARDS SET. IN ARTILLERY AND SUPPLY ORGANISATION. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, August 22. Analysing the American part in the Sicilian campaign, a British Press correspondent attributes the American success first to the fact that the Germans were obliged to split their forces to bolster up the non-fighting Italians; and, secondly, to the fact that the Americans’ artillery was too good for the Germans. The correspondent emphasises that all the Allied arms engaged in the battle of Sicily worked as one, maintaining the closest liaison. He says that American artillery called Long Toms had a tough job in blasting the Germans from “the most perfect defensive ■, ositions this war has yet seen.” North to Palermo and east along the coast as far as Cefalu the Americans had a walk-over, but at Cefalu they ran into German mountain positions extending south-east for 40 miles, and nearly 70 miles deep, right to Messina. It was mountains all the way for the Americans, who seldom came to grips with the enemy, but were always under the fire of the German and Italian batteries, directed from craggy observation posts that looked, as an American artillery officer said, “right down our throats.” They could observe every move the Americans made, particularly before Troina and Randazzo, and yet beyond doubt the Americans outgunned the Germans. Just beyond Troina were the wrecks of four German tanks which received direct hits from Long Toms nearly five miles away.

The correspondent says: “The American supply system was superb. There was never a shortage of any essential thing for as long as 10 minutes on any day. The functioning of supply lines was dependent on the Allied air control, which we had from the first d'y of landing. On the way to the front I drove 20 miles along a narrow mountain road past an endless chain of supply vehicles. A single enemy aircraft could have caused great havoc, but no planes appeared. “Ninety per cent of the Allied invasion story is a success story. The other 10 per cent represents lessons learned in the hard school of experience. It cannot be said that operations of our airborne troops in the initial stages were a complete success. Some tragic mistakes were made here, due mainly to inexperience. Doubtless the Germans had learned many valuable lessons in regard to airborne operations from Crete. We learned some from Sicily. “I know, however, that General Alexander has the greatest faith in the capabilities of our airborne army. Those airborne detachments which reached their objectives did magnificent work, particularly at Catania, the full story of which, when told, will rank with some of the greatest feats of British arms. “The Allied commanders were fully ■prepared for 90 days of war in Sicily. It lasted only 38 days. There could be nef greater tribute to Anglo-Amei ican arms.” SPLENDID TROOPS GENERAL EISENHOWER'S REPLY TO KING. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, August 22. General Eisenhower has sent the following message to the King: — . “May I express to your Majesty on behalf of all ranks of the Allied forces in the Sicilian operations my profound thanks for your gracious message of congratulations. I have conveyed to all the British and Canadian troops an assurance of your special pride in their share in this victory. The inspiration derived from your Majesty’s recent visit to this region was definitely influential in developing the magnificent morale which carried these splendid fighting troops through to victory.”