ENEMY DIVISIONS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 63, 11 September 1943, Page 7

ENEMY DIVISIONS

REDUCED BY 65

LONDON, September 10,

General Sir Henry Maitland Wilson, Commander-in-Chief, Middle East, told a Press1 conference in Cairo that Italy's surrender removes 65 divisions from the enemy's ranks, including 20 to 30 divisions* in the Balkans.

General Vechirelli, the Italian commander in Greece, has broadcast instructions to his troops to have no dealings with the Germans or the British and Americans. In revealing this, General Wilson said: "He will get nowhere with this .policy, and if he persists in it food and other supplies for his troops can and will be cut off." A certafn number of Italian aircraft from the Balkans were expected to arrive yesterday at pre-arranged Allied air bases in Cyprus, Tobruk, and at El Adem and Derna, in Cyrenaica. This announcement was made, yesterday morning by the Air Officer Command-ing-in-Chief, Middle East, Air Marshal Sir Sholto Douglas. Today General Wilson said that no Italian aircraft or ships of any description have yet arrived in Allied territory. The British Minister in the Middle East, Mr. Casey, said that important developments regarding the Italian fleet could be expected in the next few days. Arrangements had already been made for getting out 59,000 British prisoners, including Empire troops, but unfortunately most of them were in northern Italy.