LATE MESSAGES

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 July 1943, Page 5

LATE MESSAGES

U.S.A. AIRMEN’S RECORD LOS ANGELES, July 13. General Arnold disclosed that Army pilots in six months to June 30 destroyed 2515 enemy planes, probably destroyed 1,127 and damaged 1,280 in 89,691 combats costing 346 American planes. The Army also sank 121 enemy ships, probably sank. 74, and hit 315. General Arnold added that nine thousand Air Force officers and men had been recalled to train new men. “We are not keping the boys at the fronts until they are worn out.” NEARING CATANIA. . LONDON, July 14. Allied forces captured Augusta and are nearing Catania reports the Algiers radio. British and Canadians after the capture of Floridia, continued to advance northward, and engaged in heavy fighting against strong German units. The Allies have already landed heavy tanks. The Americans are advancing from Licata to Agrigento, after repulsing heavy counter-attacks north ward of Gela. GERM A N A D MIS SIO NS. LONDON. July 13. Berlin radars m li;.?y commentator. Captain Se-tc-r:says: The Allies have abciL i50.0D0 mon m Siciiy. “The enemy yestw A-. and lust night, heiped by gigantic air and sea superiority, landed considerable reinforcements on the south-east coast of Sicily, amounting to bmwen two and three Divisions. These reserves were jncoroorated in tin- American Seventh Arm, I .’, allowing General Pattern not only’ to defend' the bridgeheads at Licata and GNu against Italian coun-ter-attack?. but to enlarge them. The enemy advance lias been considerable in the bridgehead at Licata where Canadian troops, under the command of the American General, penetrated eight miles in a westerly direction. ' The British Eighth Army has landed mainly in the Syracuse Bay and the small oort of Augusta. Considerable bodies'of troops landed in these areas yesterday and Immediately proceeded northward. The British General is apparently anxious to reach the plain" of Catania as soon as possible. German reserves north-east of Augusta bar the way to British units. Very heavy fighting is going on in this sector, while trie centre of the British Army at present is lagging behind on the slopes of the hills west of Syracuse and Avola. The ten Divisions which may have landed in Sicily, arc about half the number the enemy lately concentrated in the Near East and North Africa, but it must be remembered that the Allies used only two-thirds, perhaps less, of the tonnage at their disposal in the Mediterranean for the Sicily expedition. This means the enemy has the possibility either of sending reserves gradually into Sicily, or landing at other points m south Europe, with mass troops at least equal, if! not move powerful, than those landed in Sicily.”