ALMOST COMPLETE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 September 1943, Page 4

ALMOST COMPLETE

AXIS EVACUATION OF TOE OF ITALY ACCORDING TO “TIMES” CORRESPONDENT. TREMENDOUS AIR BLASTING OF NAPLES REGION. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 12.30 p.m.) LONDON, September 7. “The Times” military correspondent (Captain Cyril Falls) says there has apparently been an almost complete Axis evacuation of the toe of Italy. “The first unofficial reports of resistance were completely misleading,” he says. “There has been no resistance to speak of and reports of ‘mass Italian surrenders’ are equally wide of .the mark, as shown by the fact that we have taken only 3,000 prisoners.”

Allied bombers in the past 24 hours have hammered five airfields, four vital marshalling yards and one port—all within 50 miles of Naples. One correspondent describes the city as ringed by an arc of fire and destruction. An Italian communique says: “Many enemy planes bombed the centre of Naples yesterday, causing great damage. They also attacked Salerno and other localities in the Naples area.” The British United Press Algier’s correspondent' says the Tactical Air Force’s most successful operation yesterday was against Sibari. American Invader fighter-bombers literally tore up the railway junction buildings in a daylight attack. According to a Madrid report, confusion and panic is sweeping Rome as the Allies drive forward in Southern Italy. Italian fears have also been increased by the threat of new landings, strongly indicated by terrific Allied air offensive against airfields and railways in the Naples area in the last 43 hours.

The Moscow newspaper “Red Star” declares that there are only four to six German divisions in Italy. The paper reiterates the Soviet view that the diversion of 60 German divisions from the Russian front would be regarded as a real second front.

Hungary has taken .measures to make Budapest an open city, says the Ital-ian-Stefani news agency. Demilitarisation of the town is in progress. METHODICAL EXTENSION OS THE ALLIED OCCUPATION. (Received This Day, 12.15 p.m.) LONDON, September 7. While the Algiers radio tonight stated that new Allied reinforcements had landed on the Italian mainland, correspondents reported the Eighth Army’s further progress a'nd a continuance of the air blitz against Naples. The British United Press correspondent reports that 39 towns and villages have thus far been captured on the Calabrian Peninsula. The occupation of Delia Nuova, by a force swinging inland from Bagnara, means that the Eighth Army has cut the mountain road, leading to Bovalino, on the opposite Coastline. The correspondent adds: “In view of the Allied advance across the Aspromonte Range, it appears that Italian troops remaining in the toe must quickly retreat or capitulate.”' The Algiers radio reported that the Allies had captured SimopOli, six miles inland from Bagnara. It is officially revealed that the Allies have landed x tanks on the Italian mainland. Correspondents report that the Eighth Army and Canadians are meeting practically no opposition, but today’s Italian communique says: “During their slow and ■ orderly -withdrawal from the coastal sectors of Southern Calabria, Axis troops are engaging in lively fighting against the "enemy’s vanguard.” The present objectives of the Eighth Army are believed to be Pizzo, 50

miles north-east of Reggio and Catanzaro, 25 miles north-east of Pizzo. • Possession of these towns would amputate the toe of Italy. The British battleships Nelson, Rodney, Valiant and Warspite are ceaselessly shelling enemy gun positions and strongpoints along the coast. '