THREE AERODROMES ALREADY CAPTURED

Evening Star, Volume 24914, Issue 24914, 12 July 1943, Page 3

THREE AERODROMES ALREADY CAPTURED

Kec. 11.15 a.m.) ' BUGBY, July 11. A North African communique, quoted by Algiers radio, ' states tliat three Sicilian aerodromes are in Allied hands. All objectives, have been reached according to plan. British and American troops have made contact with Allied parachutists dropped previously. It seems that contact between the Allied forces and the • main Axis forces has not yet been made. The fighting so far seems to have been against the enemy's coastal defence units. British and Canadian troops captured and hold the town of Pachino, and the airfield nearby, states the Algiers correspondent. Pachino has-a population of 20,000, and is three miles inland from Gape Passero, the south-eastern extremity of the invasion, area. The other two aerodromes, captured are near Gela (Terranova), another town on the southern coast, which was also ■ captured. An American correspondent says all the coastline along the 100 miles' invasion front round the south-east corner of the island is in Allied hands. . An agency correspondent, cabling from Algiers, said Canadian units pushing ahead from the landing beaches ' have already captured a group o£ vitally-important hills a mile and a°half inland. The Allied casualties so far are reported to have been light, and possibly the reason for this is that the attack on the island came as a tactical surprise. Earlier resistance was weaker than might have been expected. There has been no sign of Italian naval activity, despite the . broadcast from Rome that the Italian navy was in action. All airfields and key points on the island have been subjected to a continual battering. Most of the airfields have been put out of commission, and in one case over 40, wrecked -.Axis machines were found. .' It is thought that the enemy is holding his main strength in reserve until he: is sure where the main Allied attack will-, be. developed. , .^ More than 2,000 ships of- all kinds took part in the landing. One group of Italian E-boats made an appearance while the landing was in progress, but made off at high speed. A continuous fighter cover is being provided for.the attacking Allied troops, and. the ground staffs of the aerodromes from which they come are working at high speed refuelling and reservicing aircraft. ~ ' Carla Scorza, secretary'of'the Fascist Party, has convened an urgent meeting of the Fascist Directorate for to-night. Mussolini has asked the King to address the Italian people.