ITALIAN STRENGTH IN NORTH GROWING

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 308, 23 September 1943, Page 7

ITALIAN STRENGTH IN NORTH GROWING

Germans Sack Naples (Received September 22, 7 p.m.) LONDON, September 21. A report received from Switzerland states that whole companies of Italian regulars, after overcoming their Fascist officers, and also thousands of workers, have joined the remnants of the Italian Fourth Army, which has been fighting the Germans in the north of the Fo Valley for four days. The forces, besides completely blocking the Mount Ceris tunnel, which was the most direct route from France, are continuing to mine bridges and strategic roads along the frontier, making them impassable. . If is estimated the Mount Ceris tunnel will be out of action for the next two months. The Berlin news agency stated that Italian troops at the front line before Naples are ready to light for the British and Americans. “City of Horror.” According to Italians reaching Allied headquarters, the Germans have tinned Naples into a city of horror, killing thousands of civilians, looting, burning, and destroying, reports the Associated Press correspondent with the Fifth Army. The city is waterless and unlit, anil food distribution has broken down. It means death to leave the houses at night in search of food. German soldiers on patrol do not challenge, they shoot. Typhoid and typhus are raging and there are no medical supplies. Naples is now covered by a vast pall of smoke from German demolitions. The destruction of the city appears to be on a huge scale. The Germans, while sacking the rich city, are imposing very severe penalties on Italians on the ground that they are sabotaging the war machine. The Germans are offering a reward equal to £2O a head for the capture of Allied war prisoners in Italy. Many of the prisoners freed by the Italians after the armistice tire joining the armed Italian guerrilla bands which are harassing the German troops. The “Dailj Mail’’ says that only about 25 per ctnt. of the prisoners have born recaptured. Six Italian naval craft, namely, a gunboat, a minesweeper, a torpedo-carry-ing trawler, a tug, and two armed trawlers. have arrived at Haifa. The Italian Embassy and Consular staffs at Ankara have declared loyalty Io King Victor Emmanuel and Marshal Badoglio.