DEFENDERS OF SICILY

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23997, 12 July 1943, Page 5

DEFENDERS OF SICILY

Germans Said To Be Reinforced ITALIANS NUMBER ABOUT 300,000 (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11.45 p.m.) LONDON, July 11. “It is announced officially that the German troops in Sicily have been reinforced,” says Reuter’s correspondent in Algiers. “Numerically they are only a fraction of the total forces, but they form a valuable stiffening for the Italians.”

Reuter’s military writer says: "Sicily is defended by some 300,000 Italian troops, and it is believed that there are about 100,000 Germans. Nearly half the Italians are employed on coastal defences, leaving about 10 divisions of regulars. The Germans are mainly ground personnel servicing airfields, and troops for defending airfields. Some armoured forces are stationed in* Sicily, presumably in the region of Catania, where the terrain is best suited for mechanised warfare. Probably there are several points of Allied attack and the enemy will be kept guessing which is the main force.” It is emphasised that Sicily may not be an easy nut to crack. Landings on some parts of the coast which are comparatively flat were relatively easji but the country inland is studded with good defensive positions. The island is covered with many roads and is well covered with railways, although rolling stock has suffered badly from Allied air attacks. Most of the Axis air bases in Sicily are clustered together in the western and southwestern corner of the island, although there are a few in the north-eastern area round Messina.

The coastal area in the west, where Allied troops landed, is rolling country largely covered with vineyards, and not crossed by important rivers, says Reuter’s Algiers correspondent. This is the only part of the island with a fairly flat hinterland. The ground bordering the coast can be negotiated by all arms at most points, but a few miles inland the country rises and becomes more difficult. On the northern side of the western tip, the country extending inland from the Gulf of Castellamare is also largely covered with vineyards, but the slopes are steeper and the streams more deeply cut.

“Sicily, studded as it is with aerodromes and seaplane bases, and with the important submarine base of Augusta. virtually cuts the vital sea lanes running through the 80-miler narrows separating it from the African mainland,” says Reuter’s military writer. “Its occupation by the Allies would restore complete control of the Mediterranean to the United Nations and provide bases for a full-scale land, sea, and air offensive against the Italian mainland. Messina is separated from the toe of Italy by a strip of water only two miles wiae. "The Italians, it is reported, had a fleet of small boats standing by to evacuate the entire population, which in peace time numbered more than 4 000,000, mostly poor, illiterate peasants. The Italians are also said to have withdrawn all Italian currency from Sicily and replaced it with vouchers.” German Air Strength “It was obvious three days ago, when Marshal Kesselring suddenly withdrew German fighters from the Sicilian area that the climax of our air attack—invasion—was just around the corner, and that the Axis was conserving fighters for the most important target—our land troops,”.says the air correspondent of the British United Press. He estimates that Kesselring has at least 500 fighters at his disposal in Southern Italy, and an unknown number of bombers. “The prime factors in the situation,” he says, "are (1) that we have air superiority in the general Sicilian area;'(2) that we are operating from unbombed aerodromes in North Africa, a factor of enormous importance; (3) that, on the other hand, the Axis has either to operate from battered aerodromes in Sicily and only slightly less battered aerodromes in Sardinia, or to use aerodromes some distance back in the foot of Italy; (4) in spite of the heavy bombing of the last seven days, it would be unwise to assume that all the Sicilian aerodromes have been put out of action. In the Battle of Britain the Royal Air Force proved under what incredibly adverse circumstances it was possible to maintain the operation of much-bombed airfields.” ‘‘lt cannot be doubted that the Italians will fight bravely and with the utmost determination in defence of Sicily, and, if and when the time comes, in defence of the mainland,” says the Press Association’s diplomatic writer. ‘‘Latest reports indicate that Italian morale is fairly good. There -is some slight disaffection in bombed areas, but even this is certain to disappear now that the Allies have landed on Italian soil in Europe. There have been many purges in certain sections of the Fascist Party, designed to give it a firmer hand over the population. The Italian Royal Family has also been brought into the limelight in the last few months with the obvious object of increasing patriotic fervour in the face of the invasion threat.

“As the threat increased, German control of Italy became on the surface less apparent. Italian detestation of all things German has not decreased. Steps were taken, for instance, to ensure that German officers in Italy wore civilian clothes. The food situation in Italy is not good, and military operations are likely to increase the Washington message says that an air of caution prevails in Washington until the fighting develops further, because 300,000 Axis troops are massed in Sicily. However, military experts have stated that these forces will be heavily outnumbered when all the Allied forces are ferried across the Mediterranean.

The “New York Times” says that the American sth Army, commanded by Lieutenant-General Mark Clark, is participating in the attack, while British and Canadian troops probably outnumber the Americans.

The Algiers correspondent of the combined British press says; "The successful landings without serious loss of big Allied forces on the beaches of Sicily early to-day is another great tribute to the combined staffs and services under General Eisenhower. Some time before the successful conclusion of the Tunisian campaign, planning for the invasion of Sicily was begun by various British and American naval, military, and air force experts at Allied Force Headquarters. The fact that the Allies have been able to launch an attack of this size less than two months after the end of the Tunisian campaign gives some indication of the excellence of the planning,"