NO HALT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 September 1943, Page 3

NO HALT

IN ATTACKS ON ITALIAN RAILWAYS GERMAN FIGHTERS FARE BADLY. AT LEAST 17 OUT OF 70 SHOT DOWN. LONDON, August 31. Railway and other targets in Southern Italy were heavily attacked today. In a raid on marshalling yards north of Naples, about 70 German fighters tried to intercept the bombers. At least 17 of the enemy planes w ere shot down. ACCORDING TO NAZIS 4 MINOR LANDING ATTEMPT IN ITALY. “IMMEDIATELY SCOTCHED.’” (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 9 a.m.) LONDON, August 31. The German overseas radio stated that a minor British landing attempt on the Italian coast south of Reggio was immediately scotched. LANDING STORIES ELABORATED BY GERMANS. SOME BRITISH TROOPS REACH MOUNTAINS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 11.35 a.m.) LONDON, August 31. Expanding its report of a British landing south of Reggio, the German overseas radio said it was learned from military sources in Berlin that a British force of about 400 men, brought by naval units, landed on the toe of the Italian boot, south-east of Reggio on. 4 Sunday. The landing was discovered immediately and Axis forces took immediate counter-measures and wiped out all except 30 men, who escaped in to the interior. Those who escaped appeared to have taken to the mountains, where they still were and where at present there was no danger. Their rounding up was expected to occur in the shortest time. Experts believe, it is added, that this landing manoeuvre probably was intended to serve as preparation for a major bridgehead. The fact that the British had with them extensive communications equipment, which they attempted to set up immediately they landed, seems to point to that presumption. According to a German! news agency version of the landing, 300 British troops escaped to the mountains. ITALIAN SURRENDER EXPECTED AT ANY TIME. „ MAY BE MATTER OF HOURS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—. Copyright) (Received This Day, 11.0 a.m.) LONDON, August 31. RELIABLE OBSERVERS IN LONDON ARE CONVINCED THAT ITALY WILL BE OUT OF THE WAR WITHIN A MATTER OF DAYS, PERHAPS HOURS. ALL EVIDENCE POINTS TO THE FACT THAT ITALY IS PREPARED TO LAY DOWN HER ARMS, AND IT IS BELIEVED THAT AN ANNOUNCEMENT IS IMMINENT. British sources have not yet confirmed the German report of an Allied landing in Southern Italy, but it is believed that too much importance should not be attached to any landings which might have been made. The outstanding fact is that it will not be necessary to conquer the mainland of Italy by force. The Rome radio said today that leaflets had been distributed in Rome calling for a fifteen-minute strike tomorrow afternoon.