FRIENDLY RACE FOR MESSINA

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 271, 11 August 1943, Page 5

FRIENDLY RACE FOR MESSINA

Great Allied Pressure (By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright.) LONDON, August 9. Reuter’s correspondent says that the German evacuation from Sicily, which began I 0 days ago with non-essential personnel, now appears to be speeding up as the Allies press back the enemy’s rearguard screen along the whole front. The Germans are not attempting to dispute the Allied air supremacy, but they have thickened their anti-aircraft defences round the streets of Messina till they are now ‘ heavier than the inner artillery of London,” according to Air Marshal Broadhurst, air officer commanding. He said it was the heaviest flak he had ever seen in the Mediterranean.

Randazzo, on which tlie Eighth Army from Bronte and the Americans from Cesaro are now converging, has become tlie focal point of the German defences, and enemy resistance to die British and American thrusts is expected to be desperately heavy. German Demolitions.

Once Randazzo falls —it is now reported to be in flames —the Germans in the coastal corridor east of Etna, and in front of the Eighth Army’s right wing, will be greatly endangered, and what at the moment is a valuable defence bottleneck will become a trap which, if the Allies push through Randazzo east to the coast, may be sealed off. The Germans at present are mainly relying on mines and demolitions, behind which small rearguards with mortars and machineguns are desperately attempting to hold up the Allied advance. The Americans east of Cesaro have been delayed by particularly heavy demolitions. The British at present at slightly nearer Randazzo than tlie Americans, and great interest is being aroused in the friendly race for Messina, which must inevitably develop at the end of the campaign. For the sixth day in succession wave after wave of Allied planes today continued the ceaseless attacks against Axis forces trying to escape across the Straits of Messina, says the Algiers correspondent of the British United Press. The process of cutting off Sicily is now being carried out night and day, and the possibility of the Axis evacuating any large number of their forces is rapidly diminishing. Wellington bombers all Sunday night blasted the beaches and straits, and bridges, railway lines and troop concentrations were smashed by a continuous rain of bombs. Ships Attacked.

At dawm today large formations of bombers and fighters were again over the straits, attacking enemy forces on the beaches waiting to be taken back to Italy. Axis ships and landing craft trying to cross the straits were subjected to a hail of cannon and machinegun fire. The British United Press adds: “Axis •troops that survive the hell on the beaches have little chance of crossing the straits unscathed

Though the area of the Straits of Messina remains the focal point of the Allied air onslaught, the rest of north-eastern Sicily and also southern Italy is being attacked ceaselessly. One observer said: “The Allied air forces have spread a vast canopy of wings over the whole area.” Everywhere the ground ahead of the Allied infantry is relentlessly being softened up. Randazzo was attacked all day and is rapidly becoming useless under the

continuous Allied air blastings. Railway installations and enemy troop concentrations in the town were smashed and streams of enemy armoured vehicles and supply lorries passing through Randazzo were wrecked and set on fire. North of" Randazzo fighters swooped down on enemy convoys streaming northward. Many lorries packed with troops, and also 20 supply vehicles, were set on fire. Similar attacks are being carried out along the rest of the front, our bombers and fighters fanning out in great waves over the retreating enemy forces. The southern tip of Italy is also being heavily pasted, planes blasting communication and supply lines. American Lightnings are attacking trains loaded with arms and supplies which are rushing southward to Sicily. Two trains in the Gulf of St. Eufemia were completely wrecked, and six other trains 25 miles north of Reggio di Calabria were also strafed. Marauders wrecked two large bridges on the main highway, and also damaged an important railway bridge.