ASSAULT AT DAWN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 September 1943, Page 3

ASSAULT AT DAWN

OFFICIAL REPORT OF INITIAL SUCCESS Way Prepared by Commando Raids INCESSANT AIR ATTACKS ON ENEMY RAILWAY COMMUNICATIONS JUNCTIONS ON PRINCIPAL LINE HEAVILY DAMAGED LONDON, September 3. It is announced by the Allied headquarters in North Africa that the Eighth Army has landed in southern Italy from Sicily. A special communique from the Allied headquarters this morning said: “The Allied forces under the command of General Eisenhower have continued their advance. British and Canadian troops of the Eighth Army, supported by the Allied sea anti air power, attacked across the Straits of Messina early today and landed on the Italian mainland. ’ ’ The landing occurred at 4.30 a.m. on the beaches opposite the town of Messina, in the Sicilian tip, reports the Algiers correspondent of*the National Broadcasting' Corporation. British and Canadian troops storming the beaches of the Italian mainland opposite Messina are being supported by Allied warships, which are shelling coastal batteries all round the Italian peninsula. The United States War Department states that the landings have been successful and that the operation is proceeding according to plan. Correspondents say that the invading forces will come up against hard fighting, probably against highly-trained and experienced German troops. The defences are strong and the country favours defensive fighting. Commando raids preceded the landing. While these were going on, during the past three or four days, tremendous preparations were being made on the Allied side of the Straits. Vast numbers of men and masses of material .were pouring into the area. A great fleet of invasion barges was brought up under cover of darkness and last night the preparations were completed. A terrific artillery barrage was opened up by Allied shore guns and those of warships. A number of enemy batteries were knocked out. The invading forces were escorted by cruisers, destroyers, gunboats and other craft. Allied aircraft yesterday kept up their incessant attack on Italian communications from end to end of the country. The chief attacks were made on four railway junctions in Northern Italy, along which supplies from Germany are brought. All were badly smashed up. It is stated that the attacks were the most damaging blows of the war on Italy’s lines of communications. More than half of the war material from Germany to Italy comes along this line, which is broken at three points. In spite of fighter opposition, only one Flying Fortress did not return. The day’s operations in the air cost 15 Allied aircraft. The Axis lost 34.