ATTACKED FROM REAR

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23998, 13 July 1943, Page 5

ATTACKED FROM REAR

Coastal Defences In Sicily AIR-BORNE UNITS IN ACTION (N.Z.P.A.—8.0.W.) (Rec. 9 p.m.) LONDON. July 12. It is officially revealed in Algiers that the task of the air-borne units who made the first attacks on Sicily—they landed on Friday night—was not to capture airfields, but to attack coastal defences from the rear. The part played by these troops is described by a correspondent, who says that General Eisenhower watched the departure of an armada of transport aeroplanes and gliders, carrying the Allied air-borne troops from African shores. “The gliders looked like huge bats as they passed overhead, while around them circled an umbrella of fighters,” says the correspondent. “Inside the gliders were men of British air-borne units who have spent more than two years training for their first effort, while in the 4 ransport aeroplanes were British and American parachutists who won laurels for their work in Tunisia. It was a tribute to their training that, though the wind was very high, it was reported that almost all th® gliders landed within a mile of their target.” A correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain says that fleets of big American transports appeared over Sicily between 10.10 p.m. and 11.20 p.m. on Friday, towing gliders filled with British and American troops. The gliders cut loose from the towplanes and floated into Sicilian soil exactly at the scheduled time. Paratroops dropped further west 70 minutes later, and moved-swiftly to consolidate positions behind, the enemy’s beach defences. Surprise played an important part in the landings by air-borne troops, says Reuter’s correspondent in Algiers. The glider troops landed first, then parachutists, an hour later, were dropped at pre-arranged points. The first men on the ground went to work immediately, attacking keypoints In communications and carefully selected ground targets. A correspondent of the “Daily Exprcss"*tells how British and American paratroops and air-borne Commando units, dropped behind the enemy lines, paved the way for the invasion. Troopfilled gliders descended on the Sicilian mainland five hours before the assault forces disembarked on the beaches. Seventy minutes after the gliders reached their objectives paratroops were dropped under cover of darkness. Enemy Taken by Surprise Both forces seem to have surprised the enemy. The air-borne troops were over their targets before they encountered flak. Allied aircraft losses in this manoeuvre are officially described as negligible. No enemy fighters attempted to interfere and antiaircraft batteries were not Very actiye! *'••• Searchlights picked up the huge transport machines,'but the pildts, flying very low, manoeuvred sufficiently to put the enemy batteries off their aim. The aeroplanes bearing the paratroops loomed suddenly over their targets out of a heavy mist. They dropped their heavily-armed cargo from a low altitude. In spite of antiaircraft fire and barrages from pillboxes concealed near the shore, the men went into action. They saw large fires burning north-west of their objec-tive-evidence of the Americans’ heavy bombing during the week. The British air-borne troops were assigned to the eastern half and the Americans to the western half of the main objective. Lieutenant-Colonel John Corny, who rose from the ranks to command the most experienced troop-carrying unit in North Africa, said later: “The combat teams displayed air discipline beyond my expectation. The transports kept a tight formation all the way. The fact that the airships went directly ahead in the face of fire and searchlights demonstrates the skill of the pilots. They kept on and dropped an entire battalion in one area.” Long Column of Gliders “It was impressive to see this large collection of aircraft forming up into a long column and then go streaming off across the sea,” said a bomber officer who saw the air-borne troops go into action. “The journey was over 200 miles, and darkness fell after a third of the journey had been completed. The air was comparatively still over the water, and there was no really rough weather to make things unpleasant for the gliders. “During this time there was a regular exchange on the telephone between the glider pilot and the captain of the aircraft. "The first aircraft took the enemy unawares, and the release was made without putting the defences on the alert. Later, they had anti-aircraft defences to contend with, but most of the gliders released themselves in a position from which they could land on the prearranged spot. “Without exception the crews of the towing craft reported very feeble opposition. Searchlights could be counted on the fingers of one hand, and the flak was never a menace. Several of the ‘tugs.’ after dropping their gliders, spent a little, time circling, ‘looking for trouble.' as one pilot said. They found none, and all returned safely to their base. “On the way out the air armada passed over its naval counterpart near Malta. “The pilots reported that their gliders wore released at the right points with plenty of height to reach their destinations. One was seen caught in a searchlight, but it appeared to get through machine-gun fire unharmed. A towing bomber had a fire in the starboard outer engine on the way out, but the pilot went on and delivered his glider in the right spot.” CANADIANS’ PART IN ASSAULT “ ARMY IS REALLY IN THE WAR” OTTAWA, July 11, “All Canada will be justifiably proud to know that units of the Canadian Army are part of the Allied forces engaged on the attack on Sicily,” said the Canadian Prime Minister (Mr W. L. Mackenzie King). “Canadian soldiers have gone into battle exceptionally well trained, superbly equipped, keen, full of spirit, and ready for offensive warfare.’’ “For the first time the Canadians feel that their army is really in the war; and they are proud of it,” says the Ottawa correspondent of the “New York Times.” “After three years and a half of waiting, Canada’s long-time policy of keeping the army as one unit for use in a single operation has been changed, so that while a considerable part is in Sicily, a group has been reserved for other operations. The group in Sicily includes a Canadian Lancaster bomber squadron.”