ASSAULT FROM AIR

Evening Star, Issue 24915, 13 July 1943, Page 3

ASSAULT FROM AIR

HEAVY BLOWS STRUCK BY ALLIED PLANES ROAD CONVOYS SMASHED AND SHIPPING SUNK (Rec. 11.5 a.m.) (RUGBY, July 12. . According to Allied sources the enemy forces defending Sicily may consist of 12 divisions. Two are probably German, the remaining 10 being five Italian coastal divisions and five Italian infantry divisions. The Commander-in-Chief of the Axis forces is General Guzzoni, who is over 60, and commanded the Italian landing on Albania in 1939/ He was placed on the retired list in 1941, hut was recalled to take command of the island this year. Yesterday was again a day of intense bombing and fighting in the air all over Sicily, and the wrecks of many enemy vehicles litter the roads. Heavy blows were struck by Fortresses, Mitchells, and Marauders against communications, 'and at such focal points as Catania and the aerodromes at Gerbini, Sciacca, and Milo. The night before the Tactical Air Force also blasted aerodromes and Trapani Harbour. Malta Spitfires flew a great number of sorties over beaches in the south, and engaged the enemy to the extent of shooting down 24 for the loss of two. The biggest single attack was on a convoy of 200 vehicles, of which American formations destroyed about 100.

The new A 36 Mustang dive-bomb-ers flew wing tip to wing tip over the jammed roads, attacking repeatedly through intense small arms and light A.A. fire. In another fierce attack on a convoy 30 vehicles were destroyed. In all, the Tactical Air Force destroyed or badly damaged 400 vehicles loaded with troops and supplies in Eastern Sicily. Reconnaissance, pilots report that landings by American and British forces are still being made on a large scale. Enemy flak was weak, and machine-gun fire from enemy motor convoys was inaccurate. Pilots saw naval vessels firing on Girgenti and large fires at Nazzariuo. Beaufigliters searching the Tyrrhenian Sou for tlio enemy fleet and shipping movements attacked small convoys. One formation carrying torpedoes saw two small vessels escorted by a destroyer off Sardinia. Both the merchantmen were so severely damaged that one was left sinking and the other on fire. A. second formation of torpedo bombers found only a destroyer and one ship, which they, also hit-with torpedoes. A third formation attacked a ship escorted by a destroyer north of Sicily, leaving both vessels stationary.