PUSHING NORTH AND WEST

Evening Star, Issue 24916, 14 July 1943, Page 3

PUSHING NORTH AND WEST

FALL OF AUGUSTA BELIEVED IMMINENT LONDON, July 13. Reports from correspondents say that tho naval bombardment which preceded the landing was on a tremendous scale and that the anti-aircraft barrage put up by the ships was terrific. It is now revealed that two British capital ships took part in the operation. Between 900 and 1,000 Italian and German prisoners were brought to North Africa from Sicily yesterday, says the Associated Press of America. All seemed in high spirits, and smiled broadly as they stepped off the boats. Most of them are youths in their 'teens, and were, unkempt in appearance, with hadly-worn uniforms. The group included about 35 Italian officers. Four Italian lieutenant-colonels walked up and surrendered in one sector, explaining that they were caught while making a front-line reconnaissance. The fall of Augusta is believed to be imminent, states a report received in Madrid from Italy. British troops are reported to be halfway between Syracuse and Augusta. Reuter's Algiers correspondent says that the Allied forces, besides pushing north and west of their landing points, are attacking Agrigento, as well as the outskirts of roads and communications, and are fanning out into the central Catania plain. An Italian coastal regiment was virtually wiped out on Saturday.

The Americans captured Licata at a cost of four dead and practically no wounded. More than 300 prisoners wero taken. Rome radio announced that Lieuten-ant-general Enrico Francisci, of the Fascist Militia, commander of the 13th Zone of Black Shirts and general liaison officer of the Sicilian Command, was killed in action. ALLIES' PEACE TERMS. Algiers radio, broadcasting to Italy, quoted an Allied headquarters spokesman as stating that the Allies' peace terms for Italy are:— (1) For the Fascist regime and the armed force supporting it, unconditional surrender. (2) For the Italian people, freedom to choose any kind of non-Fascist Government and thus become a respected member of the family of free peoples.