FASCIST GRAND COUNCIL

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23973, 14 June 1943, Page 5

FASCIST GRAND COUNCIL

MEETING CALLED BY 'MUSSOLINI DEFENCE MEASURES DISCUSSED (Hec. 9 p.m.) NEW YORK, June 13 Mussolini summoned the Fascist Grand Council for a secret two-hours lession on Saturday evening, according to a ‘‘New York Times” report from Rome. The last officially announced meeting was on June 9. 1940. before the Italian declaration of war on France, although the council has met secretly several times since. The council, it is reported, “exam : ined measures to ensure adequate defence of the metropolitan area in view of the forthcoming events.” It discussed German disappointment that the construction of fortifications was considerably below expectations, and also an immediate extension of the Italian Air Force to replace German pilots flying Italian aeroplanes in defence of the Peninsula. The Fascist publicist, Gayda, in a newspaper article, attacks Mr Roosevelt. Gayda declares that the initiative for the war against Italy from North Africa came from the White House. “It is a defensive war against the imperialist plans of the United States, which started an armed offensive six months before the formal declaration of war,” he says, "The Aegean Islands are being converted into fortresses in readiness for en invasion,” says the Official German News Agency, "The defences include concrete blockhouses, barbed wire entanglements, and artillery.” Messages from Ankara say that there have been intense Gorman defence measures in Jugoslavia and 6 'ong the entire Adriatic coastline. The puppet Croatian Government rreported to have been reorganised to Include a number of Germans. mediterranean REOPENED minesweepers clear CHANNELS AXIS SHIPPING LOSSES RUGBY, June 1”. Ihe Mediterranean was reopened b> ontish minesweepers last month. Tiw Went of Allied domination of the Mediterranean, leading to this result, J shown by the disclosure in a mesof congratulation of the NavvV work sent by Mr Churchill to Ad‘Hal Sir Andrew Cunningham, Uia: ‘■ e rT Axi s i os t one-third of its shipilw ai fl '° Tunisian campaign, and ronl dlr V bos t° sl just over 2 per tioa ’ °/ * v ast convoys winch car..s and ' laituained their North Afn ca n armies. div 1 ' said: "The daring and otion of our submarines succeed f ‘Mnkmg "IT ships, and onr stirfoJces sink ships. making a arl of 268,600 tons. When to this tnKi * ec sinkings by air. a grand rM a i °f T37 chips, of 483.400 tons is estim 6 ?’ ’ s P er cent, of the to {? a * Cupping initially available Tima. 6 Axis at the beginning of the funisian campaign. tnainK , lhe lun -4 struggle on the 10 Navy and the Air Force sank 1,1 tk( ' c 'oscst co-operation. boat/ 1 e , neni - v clcstvoycr? or torpedoV’entp/oc man .v small craft, and proPlv cl ■ 5 |)L ' r 'be cnemv supini/" p ps. s anrl '>' a import from reach’s uinjsia. cf fo minesweepers f“ll the honour leoponing the Mediterranean bv hvpm n S T c, bannels 000 miles long, bcEtfn 9 and May 21- The proU e( j° a °f our own convoys was carL s . very highest point, and ” between November 8 and May

5 were less than 21 per cent. Motor torpedo-boats in the first fortnight of May rank nine enemy ships, with the loss of four torpedo-boats. "Destroyers, with motor torpedoboats and cruisers in support, made a close blockade round the Tunisian tip in the final phase, through which practically nothing was able to pass, and the prospects of a Dunkirk were denied the enemy. All this could not have been accomplished without the support of the battleships, aircraftcarriers, and end rs who were denied the r ing with the Italian battle fl ;. v. inch they so ardently desired.”