DEMOLITION OF ROME

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 October 1943, Page 3

DEMOLITION OF ROME

THREATENED BY GERMANS PRELIMINARY ACTION TAKEN. ATTEMPTS TO TERRORISE ITALIANS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 10.25 a.m.) LONDON, October 4. The German troops are preparing to demolish Rome, say reports from Switzerland. The destruction of the Italian capital, it is added, may begin at the next week-end. The Germans are already speeding up plans to cut off the city’s water supply. Water pipe-lines running from reservoirs in the mountains have been mined and explosives have been placed on bridges over the Tiber River. Fearing that they will be unable to hold Rome, the Germans plan for it the same fate as that of Naples. Mr Morley Richards, the “Dailf Express” military writer, says the Germans are not likely to remain long in Rome for fear that they may be trapped by the converging forces of the Fifth and Eighth Armies. The Catholic Archbishop of New York, Dr. Spellman, yesterday made a world-wide appeal for prayers for the Pope and for sparing Rome from destruction. He said: “Pray that Rome will be spared from destruction, and, above all, that American soldiers will not be forced to destroy the city through the enemy’s baiting tactics.

Pray not that the Pope’s life may be spared—because in his agony and suffering it would be mercy—but pray for his cause, the cause of Christ and civilisation.” “The German commander in Southern Italy, Marshal Kesselring, today warned Italians that they would be gaoled if they listened to Allied broadcasts. Marshal Rommel, commander in Northern Italy, has also issued new threats to the Italian people from his' headquarters. He said any person who attacked a German soldier would be shot. Persons guilty of sabotage would be heavily punished.