MUSSOLINI RESCUED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 September 1943, Page 4

MUSSOLINI RESCUED

TAKEN FROM PRISON BY NAZI PARACHUTISTS WAS TO HAVE BEEN HANDED OVER TO ALLIES. ACCORDING TO GERMANS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 12.25 p.m.) LONDON, September 12. “Mtissilini is at liberty,” says a communique from Hitler’s headquarters. The German news agency issued the communique, which states: “German parachutists, men of the Security Service and armed S.S., today performed an operation for the liberation of Mussolini, who had been imprisoned by a clique of traitors. The coup succeeded and the Duce is at liberty. The handing over of the Duce to the British and Americans, agreed to by the Badoglio Government, has thus been frustrated.” NEW ROLE FOR DISPLACED DICTATOR. HEAD OF PUPPET GOVERNMENT. (Received This Day, 1.5 p.m.) LONDON, September 12. The British United Press says Hitler may now be expected to form a puppet Fascist Government, headed by Mussolini, and designed to attract as much Italian support as possible, backed up by German guns and bayonets. It will be easy for Mussolini to claim that he was unconstitutionally put out of the way, that the Badoglio Government has no standing and that King Victor Emmanuel is a virtual captive. There may be an attempt on Mussolini’s part to establish a new Italian army to fight on the side of the Germans, wlfo have.already claimed that some Italian units have come to them. ANOTHER PORT BARI IN ALLIED HANDS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.55 a.m.) RUGBY, September 1. The Algiers radio says the port of Bari, north-west of Brindisi, has been captured.