IN ALLIED HANDS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 229, 27 September 1943, Page 5

IN ALLIED HANDS

WHOLE OF CORSICA

Report Quoted By Palermo Radio Rec. 1 p.m. LONDON, Sept. 26. Algiers radio reports that United States Rangers have landed on the beaches near Bastia, the port on the north-east coast of Corsica, from which the Germans are escaping to Italy. A later communique from French Headquarters in Algiers states that Bastia has been captured. Palermo radio to-night quoted a report stating that all Corsica is now in Allied hands. A French communique quoted by a correspondent at Algiers states: "An increasing" number of French troops have landed in Corsica and are in close co-operation with patriots overcoming the pressure of German troops, who have now been pushed back toward the north-east-ern part of the island. "The combined activity of Allied bombers and naval forces is rendering evacuation most precarious. A sharp engagement took place on the eastern part of the St. Florient region, a few miles west of Bastia, where the Germans were repulsed. Enemy aircraft scattered bombs in the Ajaccio district, causing no damage. French fighters shot down two planes." Long-range Beaufighters of the Royal Air Force are taking a mounting toll of big Junkers transport planes between Corsica and the mainland. The enemy is using these to save the highly-trained technicians from his lost airfields in Sardinia. Scores of these transport planeswere observed. Seven were shot down, says Reuters Algiers correspondent. Large numbers of small boats were also seen making the evacuation trip. VICTORY IS CERTAIN Only Time And Cost In Lives Now In Doubt SIR S. CRIPPS SPEAKS British Official Wireless Rec. 12.30. RUGBY, Sept. 26. Sir Stafford Cripps, Minister of Aircraft Production, speaking at Newcastle, declared that victory now seemed certain, and added: "It is only time and the cost of 'human life that are still in doubt. How long that time will be or how great the casualties are must now depend largely upon the efforts of those on the industrial front in Britain and America. Sustained and increasing effort may bring us earlier victory with all that it means in the saving of human lives." Pointing to the enormous expansion of aircraft production and production of all those multifarious devices which assist the fighter and bomber, Sir Stafford said: "If the figure for the first six months of 1940 for structure weight of aircraft produced is taken at 100, then the corresponding figures for 1941, 1942 and 1943 — in each case the first six months — are 161, 244, 364. "This shows how great is our production now compared with those six months of 1941 and 1940, when we were making planes which fought the Battle of Britain. But this is not in itself enough. We still need more aircraft to make good heavy losses in the offensive fighting to-day, and to prepare for that even great offensive which must come before the end is reached."

BRENNER PASS LINE Railway Attacked By Partisans And Fortresses BIG NAZI SUPPLY ROUTE Rec. 2 p.m. LONDON, Sept. 26. Strong bands of Italian Partisans are concentrating attacks against the Brenner Pass railway, says the Zurich correspondent of the Stockholm newspaper Dagens Nyheter. This line, which is one of the main routes for the reinforcement of German forces in Italy, has been hammered at three points by Flying Fortresses during the week-end, says the British United Press correspondent in Algiers. The main weight of bomber attacks fell on Bolzano, Verona and Bologna. Verona, which was the scene of the last meeting in Italy between Hitler and Mussolini, is reported to be Rommel's headquarters. Bolzano is the bottleneck in German communication lines through which the main flow of supplies is passing. If the line were blocked even briefly it would be a heavy blow against Rommel's chances of holding up the Allied advance.

N.Z. APPRECIATION AUSTRALIA'S HOSPITALITY Rec. 1 p.m. SYDNEY, this day. New Zealand flags were presented to two suburban churches yesterday in appreciation of hospitality to members of the Dominion Services passing through Sydney. The High Commissioner, Mr. C. A. Berendsen, presented a flag belonging to the Wellington Mounted Rifles to St.Columba Presbyterian Church, Woollahra. Lieutenant-Colonel F. _vvv Mothes, who presented a New Zealand flag to St. Matthew's Churcn, Manly, said the kindness shown the Manly people and the p P ders Sydney generally to New bctween had deepened the £" en tJ commonthe Dominion and tue wealth.