RESCUE OF MUSSOLINI

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 September 1943, Page 4

RESCUE OF MUSSOLINI

HIGHLY COLOURED STORY TOLD BY BERLIN RADIO. STRINGENT PRECAUTIONS DEFEATED. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 11.55 a.m.) LONDON, September 13. Members of Hitler’s personal bodyguard, and parachute troops under the command of an Austrian Storm Troop leader, rescued Mussolini “from an almost inaccessible” mountain fastness in Southern Italy, declares the Berlin radio. It adds that the plan to free Mussolini was prepared wirh the greatest difficulty. The Badoglio Government tried to keep Mussolini’s whereabouts secret by using extraordinary measures designed to hide every trace of the Duce. His place of confinement had been changed* several times since July 25. He was taken to prison and then to barracks, islands and even warships every few days, and the task of guarding him was entrusted to large military units, which were changed regularly. Carabinieri formed the nucleus of the guard, with orders to shoot Mussolini if anyone attempted to rescue him. His latest prison was discovered wiinm the last few days, and he i was taken from an almost inaccessible ! massif, where he was held prisoner in shameful conditions, with extra guards, preparatory to being handed over to the British. The speed with which the rescuers worked did not enable the guard, to put up a tight. Mussolini was rushed to the nearest German aerodrome, from which a fast plane took him to safety. Hitler, it is stated, conferred high honours on the rescuers who carried out this daring operation.” The Berlin radio declared that Mussolini for many years had suffered from a gastric disease which had grown worse during the last few months. Immediately after his release, Mussolini telepnoned to Hitler. Mussolini’s family later joined him, having been released from captivity by special detachments of Black Guards. MUCH EXHAUSTED BY HARD EXPERIENCES IN PRISON. MUSSOLINI PREPARING TO FORM “GOVERNMENT.” (Received This Day, 12.45 p.m.) LONDON, September 13. The Berlin radio tonight quoted reports from the Italian-Swiss frontier, stating that Mussolini is believed to have been taken by air to Rommel's headquarters 'in Northern Italy, and added that Mussolini's entourage, including Farinacci and other Fascists, is reported to have been liberated in the past few days by the Germans. A German overseas radio commentator stated that Mussolini is now in a big city. “The Duce,” it states, “is very exhausted by his hard experiences during his six weeks’ imprisonment. After preliminary questions have been settled, Mussolini will form a government from among the most capable and energetic leading Fascists able to escape., The Duce is reviewing the question of choosing a town in Northern Italy as the. provisional, capital of the Fascist Government.” The “Daily Mail,” in an editorial, says: “It is wrong to treat the rescue of Mussolini as unimportant and to regard it as a confit? episode. The German Government showed itself still capable of the swift action which once paralysed Europe and even now it is worthy of emulation from our point of view. This development should be taken very seriously. It shows that the Germans are reacting energetically to the situation in Italy, and that Hitler is by no means disposed to abandon the Axis interest and ideology in that country.”