COMING INVASION OF ITALY

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 259, 29 July 1941, Page 7

COMING INVASION OF ITALY

American Claim

ACTION BY BRITAIN SOON

(By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.)

(Received July 28, 9.50 p.m.) NEW YORK, July 27. The New York “Daily News” publishes private reports that the British and Italian naval operations in the past week are the preliminaries of a British invasion of Italy from North Africa. The reports add that Britain has secretly discussed the question with the commander-in-chief of French North Africa, General Weygand, who promises his support if the venture develops favourably. The British are not making a secret of their intentions, hoping that the revelation will increase disaffection in Italy.

ATTACK ON MALTA Smaller Craft With E-Boats TOTAL BAG OF 15 (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, July 27. Further details of the attack on Valetta harbour are now available, states a joint Admiralty, War Office, and Air Ministry communique. Shortly before 7 a.m. E-boats appeared off Hie harbour entrance. The fixed defences manned by the military garrison at once engaged the enemy. One E-boat blew up on being hit and four others were destroyed by gunfire.

It then appeared that the Eboats were acting as escort for small torpedo-carrying craft, which tried to break through into the harbour. These were heavily engaged by gunfire from the shore defences, and eight were either blown up or sunk. None succeeded in entering,the harbour.

R.A.F. fighters pursued the remaining E-boats, which were tryjpg to extricate themselves, and sank four more and damaged others. The fighters then countered enemy aircraft which were endeavouring to give air support to the retreating enemy. Three enemy aircraft were shot down into the sea. One R.A.F. fighter was lost, but the pilot was saved. Reports so far received Indicate that the assault on the harbour was attempted by eight small torpedo-carry-ing craft, all of which were destroyed by the defences. The view that none of the assaulting forces survived to report is confirmed by a special I talian communique which was issued last night. This merely referred to explosions which were seen by the escorting forces from a distance to seaward.

TORPEDOES WITH PILOTS Italians Claim Big Success (Received July 28, 10.40 p.m.) LONDON, July 28. The Stefani (Italian) news agency yesterday said that the raid against Valetta was carried out by a secret type of naval assault craft. It was stated that eight British ships were torpedoed, causing violent explosions and great flames. The “Voce d’ltalia” said that the raid was made after information was received on July 25 that the British convoy which was attacked in the Mediterranean had taken refuge"there. The newspaper described the boats with which the assault on the harbour was carried out as “tiny but powerful craft on which the designers had worked silently for many years, constituting one of Italy’s most precious secrets.”

The Italian newspapers today claim that a new type of torpedo piloted by specially-trained “suicide sailors” was used in the attack. The torpedo, they say, is able to skip over torpedo nets, after which their pilots, wearing bathing suits, cork belts and crash helmets, theoretically detach themselves from the torpedo and return in a tiny boat with an outboard motor which was inally attached to the torpedo.