10,000 GERMANS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 September 1943, Page 3

10,000 GERMANS

STILL IN EASTERN CORSICA PEOPLE WELCOME LIBERATING TROOPS.EAGER TO INVADE FRANCE. (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) LONDON, September 21. A correspondent of the British United Press, writing on Saturday from Ajaccio, the capital of Corsica, stated. “There are about 10,000 Germans m Corsica, mainly on the east coast, and the. French commandos have not yet made contact with them. Some of the 50 000 Italians on the island are already fighting with the Corsican P atr j, against the Germans. Directly the fa 1 of Italy became known, the, Corsican de Gaullists staged a coup d’etat.” The correspondent said that the commandos first landed on September 13 in one of the war’s most secret operations. The French Navy used its fastest destroyers for the operation and they audaciously skirted Sardinia, which was then in German hands, to reach their objective. U-boats attacked them fruitlessly. The commandos were met not by Germans but by several thousand Frenchmen, who were delirious with joy and fired rifles, even old flintlocks, into the air. That enthusiasm was repeated when a second wave of Frenchmen landed four days later. The Corsicans are saying: “When are the British and Americans coming? When shall we invade France?” The Corsicans are undoubtedly pro-Allied. The French Committee of National Liberation has announced that the laws of the Third Republic once more operate in the island. All Vichy laws are abolished and a new prefect of Corsica is appointed. British and American troops have landed at several points in Sardinia and have taken over a number of the ports from the Italians .including Cagliari. They have also commandeered three airfields. ENEMY WITHDRAWAL FROM SECTOR IN CORSICA. AFTER HEAVY FIGHTING (By Telegraph—Press Association.) (Received This Day, 10.40 a.m.) RUGBY, September 23. General Giraud’s Headquarters states that the Germans have withdrawn from the Levie sector of Corsica after heavy fighting. American commandos are fighting with French patriots and regulars. The enemy is withdrawing from Bonifacio and Porto Vecchio northwards.