ITALIAN FLEET
SOME SHIPS SURRENDER
''ARRIVAL AT GIBRALTAR
(By Telegraph^-Presa Association— Copyright.) Rec. 11 a.m. LONDON, Sept. 10. Two Italian light cruisers, two destroyers, and two auxiliary aircraftcarriers have arrived at Gibraltar and surrendered to the Allied forces. |
According to Algiers radio, the greater part of the Italian fleet and mercantile marine has put to sea. The ships left a number of harbours, including Spezia and ports on the lonian coast. German bombers attacked the Italian vessels, which were last reported between Corsica and Sardinia, on the way to Allied ports. Admiral de Courten, the Italian Navy Minister, in an order of the day to the Italian fleet, s.aid: "It is possible that other hard tasks lie ahead of you. You have faced the world's most powerful navy for the past 40 months and accomplished acts of heroism. The grave condition of Italy compels •us to lay down our arms in this struggle, but there may be tasks ahead which will impose on you moral sacrifice. However, nothing is unbearable for you when the future of the country is at stake.- I am certain you will fulfil your duties in all circumstances."
Berlin radio • claimed that units of the Italian navy have already joined the German navy Jo continue the fight against the Allies.
ENEMY INTERVENTION.
It is stated that German bombers and dive-bombers yesterday prevented Italian warships as they attempted to leave Patras, in Greece, and forced them to return' to harbour. One Italian torpedOTboat esp^pe<J under cover of darkness. The commander of the Italian formation had intended placing himself at the disposal of the British Mediterranean Fleet.
The German news agency says that German bombers between Sardinia and Corsica yesterday sank one Italian battleship and one cruiser, and severely damaged one battleship, one cruiser, and one destroyer. They belonged to an Italian naval formation which fled from Spezia, after which, on British and American orders, it attacked German shipping. Bombers-immediately took off to protect German transport movements. A battle against the remainder of the Italian naval vessels is in progress,
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Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 63, 11 September 1943, Page 7
Word Count
342ITALIAN FLEET Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 63, 11 September 1943, Page 7
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