SURRENDER TO ALLIES

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 64, 13 September 1943, Page 5

SURRENDER TO ALLIES

ITALIAN FLEET

GREAT DAY AT MALTA

(By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright.) LONDON, September 12. The Commander-in-Chief of the AlJied Mediterranean Fleets, Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham, issued a communique stating: "The Italian battle fleet is now anchored under the guns of Malta."

There were 22 Italian warships in Valetta harbour yesterday, including four battleships, seven cruisers, and 10 destroyers. Two of the battleships are Italy's best—of the Littorio class. Seven warships put into Majorca, in the Spanish Balearic Islands. They are reported to have had on board men who were wounded in German air attacks. Six others are believed to be at Gibraltar. Others are still on the way to Allied bases. Reuters correspfindent aboard the destroyer H.M.S. Hambledon in the Mediterranean said- that yesterday marked one of the most spectacular periods in the history of the British Navy. Admiral Cunningham, with General Eisenhower, on Friday stood on the compass platform on the bridge of this destroyer steaming along the North African coast, and watched a four-year task drawing to a close.

Not since the German fleet steamed into Scapa Flow at the end of the last war has the world seen such an event. Moving towards Malta in impressive array were the ships which form the backbone of the Italian navy. There were two battleships, five cruisers, and four destroyers sailing from Spezia on a course that had been prescribed in the armistice terms, and each Italian ship flew a black pennant, showing that she was complying with the armistice terms. In the van of the fleet were two mighty British battleships, H.M.S. Warspite and Valiant, under a screen of six destroyers ahead, and on either side were long lines of battleships and cruisers. Germany made a desperate daylight attempt to destroy the Italian fleet, whose departure she was too late to forestall, but apart from sinking one battleship—the Roma—she was unsuccessful. Admiral Cunningham said in an interview: "These are not the only Italian ships coming in. There are others from Taranto and other points on the east coast. Some have already been reported at Malta and other places, and there are submarines popping up all over the place. The Italians are fulfilling the instructions to the letter." Turning to watch the Italian ships, Admiral Cunningham said: "We have met some of these twice before. I'm glad to see the Warspite leading them in." The Admiral referred to Taranto, where the Fleet Air Arm badly damaged one Italian battleship, and to Matapan, a where another was badly damaged and where the Warspite, which was then his flagship, "hit the Italian flagship in the stomach at 25,000 yards." He added: "This is a great day for us, and a very useful day. I always thought it might end something like this, though we would have been glad to see these ships at any time in the last four years. The Mediterranean was black with ships in June, 1940, but we chased them home. Looking back on the whole battle, they were not so tough. The Italians were nearly gone at the end of 1940, but the Germans came in and stiffened them up.

"Now the whole Mediterranean Is cleared. It will release many ships for use against the Japanese and elsewhere. Also, these ships which are now added to our strength are firstclass. The battleships are very good, and the cruisers are all good, too, especially the two new ones."

Replying to a question, Admiral Cunningham said there was only one British officer on the Italian ships. He was on the leading cruiser to "make sure they don't take the wrong turning:"

Another message says that the Italian naval units which arrived at Malta included four battleships, seven cruisers, and six destroyers. Twelve units of the fleet have also arrived at Palma, Majorca. According to an official Allied statement, more Italian warships are expected to reach Malta and other Allied harbours. German bombers sank one Italian battleship which was steaming south in the Mediterranean. Reuters Malta correspondent reports that warships which arrived there from Taranto included the battleships Andrea Doria and Guilio Cesare, and arrivals from Spezia included the battleship Eugenio di Savoia. Two battleships, one heavy cruiser, one light cruiser, and one destroyer which arrived in Malta came from Taranto, and two battleships, five cruisers, and five destroyers came from Spezia. AH the Units surrendered to the British Navy.

Reports from neutral sources say that the greater part of the Italian navy has escaped from the Germans, but some of the ships at Trieste fell into German hands after hard fighting.

BATTLESHIP'S END,

Reuters Algiers correspondent says that Allied planes protected the Italian warships making for Malta as soon as they were within range of our longrange fighters. The correspondent adds that the crew of an R.A.F. Marauder watched a half-hour battle between the Luftwaffe and Italian warships between Corsica and Sardinia. Ihere were tremendous explosions as bombs hit an Italian battleship and smoke rose 4000 ft.

The stern of the battleship sank under the water and the bows rose, and the battleship appeared to break m two and fold up. Cruisers and destroyers circled the spreading oil patch and picked up many survivors from the battleship. The Germans failed to secure other hits. The warships put. up a heavy barrage, and one German plane fell out of control.

Algiers radio says that reports from the Mediterranean show that 23 of the Italian navy's 35 warships have reached Allied or neutral ports. Warships ranging from battleships to destroyers voluntarily steamed into Allied ports. Seventeen of these, including four battleships, had to run the gauntlet of German air attacks to reach Malta. Of nine cruisers which Italy possessed in 1942, seven are now at Malta, and two at Gibraltar. There are also two air-craft-carriers at Malta. General Eisenhower sent the following message to Admiral Cunningham: "My congratulations to you and all the forces under your command on the happy and conclusive ending to your three years' campaign against the Italian Navy." Rec. 12.50 p.m. LONDON. Sept. 12. Forty-two Italian warships and 14 submarines have escaped from Italian ports.

Reuters Valetta correspondent says that four Italian battleships are' definitely now at Malta. They are the Italia (formerly the Littorio), the Vittorio Veneto, and the Caio Duilio, and the Andrea Doria, both of which have been reconstructed.

Admiral Bagliria, admiral of the Italian fleet, died when the flagship Roma was sunk by German bombers, so it was Acting Admiral Ruba who came ashore and met Admiral Ciuaningham. The Italian admiral and his officers were given a full naval guard of honour on the quayside. Admiral Cunningham shook hands with the English-speaking Italian admiral as he greeted him with the words, "Good afternoon, Admiral. How do you do? Sit down."