LINES OF SHIPS

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

LINES OF SHIPS

AN OFFICER'S STORY Allied Operation Was Like Spithead Review British Official Wireless Rec. 1.30 p.m. RUGBY, July 11. The Sicilian picture begins to take clearer shape as eye-witness accounts reach London. "It was like a Spithead review," was how a naval officer described the scene off the Sicilian coast yesterday. "Long lines of ships, of all types and all sizes, were lying off the beaches, the only thing missing being bunting," he said. "There were landing crafts fussing backwards and forwards to the beaches, which were crowded with troops, and naval beach parties were supervising the unloading of equipment, guns and tanks, which went on steadily throughout the day. After the enemy coastal batteries were silenced and our troops had broken through the beach defences there was very little sign that we had landed on enemy territory. "During the early stages of the assault, in the hours of darkness, the weather conditions made the landing of troops no easy task. A high wind had caused a heavy swell, but the Allied navies carried out their job without any hitch. "In the amphibious operation the navy has complete charge until the troops have actually' put their feet on the land and they have overcome the many difficulties magnificently." Huge Battle Fleet Cover The huge battle fleet which covered the landing contained many Allied units and included a big American force taking part in its first amphibious operation in the European theatre. Cruisers and destroyers silenced many coastal batteries which opened fire on our assault boats as they went in to the beaches. One of these batteries, whose code name was "P for Peter," after being silenced by warships began to fire again, but only spasmodically. Its shells never fell within range of our ships, but apparently annoyed a British admiral, who sent a signal, "If P for Peter opens his mouth again give him the works." Admiral Cunningham was afloat on Saturday afternoon visiting in turn naval forces off the Sicilian coast and the naval forces working the beaches. By this time the swell had died down and it was a lovely summer afternoon. "As we passed through a long line of ships we saw a big transport unloading tanks into landing craft," said a correspondent. "We watched the troops being taken ashore without any interference from the enemy. The only excitement was when a solitary enemy aircraft dropped a stick of bombs into the sea about two miles away. The little coast towns all looked deserted."