HEAVY FIGHTING

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

HEAVY FIGHTING

Germans Pressed In Hill Country LONDON, August 9. Algiers radio stated tonight that General Montgomery’s troops on the east coast of Sicily were 38 miles from Messina. Allied warships were ceaselessly bombarding the coast at Taormina. Eighth Army troops were within six miles of ITandazzo. I.u tlie north the Americans have captured Tortorici, 15 miles north-west of Randazzo. The radio said that the position of the Germans in Sicily had deteriorated considerably since yesterday. The only road open for their escape leading north-east was under constant tiro from Allied artillery. Randazzo was being heavily shelled. It was stated at Allied Headquarters that a certain slowing down of operations must be expected in view of the difficulties of the ground. Yesterday’s heavy fighting all along the front was an attempt to squeeze the Germans out of the foothills in eastern Sicily, says a correspondent at Allied headquarters in North Africa. After troops of the Seventh Army had made a successful landing from the sea in the rear of the Germans, the Americans captured San Fratello, a town standing on heights from which the sector can be commanded by artillery. This daring exploit resulted in considerable confusion among German troops, who probably belonged to the 49 th Armoured Division. Desperate Defence. The Germans are making a desperate effort in that part of the battlefield, as they realize that the area north-west of Mt. Etna contains Allied troops. They are still fighting fiercely in very rugged country, but there are indications that their morale is not so high as it has been. It is possible that they appreciate that they cannot hold out continuously in Sicily and are acting under instructions from the Fuehrer to enable him to make further plans for the defence of his European holdings. The Eighth. Army is now eight miles north and north-west of Catania, and) while there is no indication as yet that the German army is split, the enemy is making desperate efforts to hold the

vital coast roads north of Mt. Etna. In that area the Americans are subjecting the Axis positions to heavy artillery fire. The bulk of the German defence line around Mt. Etna is now in Allied hands, reports the correspondent of the British United Press with the Eighth Army. The Allies on Monday captured Trecastagni and Aci Antonio, west of Acireale, on the slopes of Etna, completing our bold on the territory south-east of Etna. Both villages fell after brief skirmishing. Suicide squads which are still being left behind to hold up the Eighth Army forces advancing northward on tlie coast east of Etna are being slowly but surely knocked out. The capture of Acireale, which was also achieved, brings General Montgomery’s forces within 10 miles of Giarre, which is half-way to the port of Taormina, the former enemy headquarters which was wiped out on the eve of the invasion, Cesaro, which was taken, lies nearly 10 miles north-east of Troina. The main road from the north coast passes through Cesaro, from which there is a good road running east to Randazzo, the key town north-west of Mt. Etna. From this road the present Allied line runs ap- : proximately slightly north of Bronte and Aderno through San Maria di Licodia (18 miles north-west of Catania, between Paterno and, Aderno). CHEERFUL PRISONERS LONDON, July 23. Reuter’s special correspondent in the Mediterranean cabled recently an interview with the skipper of a Dutch merchant ship, converted into a troop, carrier, which took American landing forces to Sicily and returned to North Africa with an even bigger load—a cargo of Italian war prisoners. The skipper said : “I have never in my life seen such a cheerful crowd of prisoners. They were just like children. They came aboard unkempt and with their suitcases packed. While aboard, they washed their clothes, and shaved and tidied themselves up for the landing. We gave them three meals of American rations daily, about which they expressed surprise, as they had only received two meals a day in Sicily. Many had saved large portions of their lunches, not thinking that they would get an evening meal.”

ENEMY ESTIMATE

LONDON, August 9Rome radio asserted that 16 Allied divisions are at present in Sicily, and added that Allied warships again bombarded the coast of Calabria, on the Italian mainland.