Invasion Troops Driving Forward

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 163, 12 July 1943, Page 3

Invasion Troops Driving Forward

AIRFIELDS CAPTURED Landing Beaches Beyond Enemy Artillery Range (New Zealand Press Association.—Copyright.—Rec. 2 p.m.) LONDON, July 11. Allied troops in Sicily are now advancing with the beaches behind them firmly in the hands of fresh troops, more of which are still being brought in from vast convoys protected by the navy,- cables the British United Press correspondent at Allied forward headquarters. Allied forces in the Mediterranean began to land in Sicily at about three o'clock yesterday morning. The troops, which are under the command of General D. D. Eisenhower, Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Forces in North Africa, are stated to be from Britain, America and Canada. The landings were preceded by aerial attacks and supported by naval bombardment. Within 48 hours of the first landings the crisis in the Sicilian invasion has passed, the correspondent adds, and troops are being disgorged on the island in one great stream. The whole coastline along the 1 00-mile invasion front is in Allied hands. Allied Troops Break Through Trenches at Gela There is little definite news of the land fighting, but it is known that one of the points -where the troops first -went in was Gela, a little port on the broad sweep of the southern coast, at the end of the valley formed by the Maroglio River. Gela's normal population is 25,000. The town commands a network of roads. An official announcement from Algiers says that American troops, with naval support, have broken through the enemy trench positions at Gela. According to Algiers radio, Canadian troops have established an important bridgehead 50 miles west of Gela. The British United Press reports that the Allies have captured two aerodromes near Gela. The stiff est resistance thus far has .been encountered near Cap Passero. Only Italian troops have been engaged' by the Allied forces thus far. Allies Do Not Minimise Extent Of Task Reuters correspondent in Algiers, writing last night, points but that while there is gratification at the success of the preliminary landings there is no attempt to minimise the extent of the task of subduing the island.

"To conquer any undue optimism it must be plainly stated that the Allies never anticipated running through the island like a knife through butter," the correspondent observes. The Italians, fighting near their homeland, are likely to put up an extremely stiff struggle. There is a strong stiffening of German troops, and the whole defence plan is possibly strongly influenced by German methods. The British and Americans must be prepared for a protracted struggle. Allied plans have based from the outset on a long, hard struggle. "The Allies did not think landing would surprise the enemy, but their method of carrying it out apparently was a surprise. "The enemy has rallied and is now fighting back strongly. The scale of the Allied attack against this opposition is increasing, and more troops,, guns, vehicles, stores and equipment are being landed." British Forces Join Up With Canadians Latest reports from Sicily state that British, Canadian and United States forces are advancing steadily inland to-night. 1 nree Sicilian airfields have been captured, including Pachino on the south-eastern tip of the island, and others are on the seaboard. The British forces, which captured Pachino airfield, joined up .with the Canadians across \Cap Passero The Allies have already established regimental and divisional headquarters on the island. : The Allied forces in Sicily, driving towards each other from the south-west and north-east, may cut off the whole of the peninsula forming the south-east corner with Cap Passero as the nose, according to Reuters military correspondent. He believes that a 50-mile advance from either .side would establish a line which would give the Allies control of about 000 square miles, in which are situated several airfields .suitable for immediate use. The Allied landing beaches already seem well beyond the range of the enemy's artillery and are exposed on y to air attack, which is unlikely to be very fierce in view of the Allies supremacy in the air. . _».