LATE MESSAGES

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 July 1943, Page 2

LATE MESSAGES

“RED DEVILS”

RUGBY, July. 15.

A correspondent who was in one of the first gliders to land in Sicily reports that the men were armed with Bren-guris, rifles, bayonets, knives, and grenades. The equipment was not dropped separately, but strapped to the men’s backs. They wore red berets instead of steel helmets, as it had been decided that it would be a good thing for the Italians to learn quickly that the “Red Devils,” as they term airborne troops, had arrived. The lieutenant in charge of the half-platoon in the correspondent’s glider declared he was going to advance on Syracuse. Later it was learned the others decided to do the same, and they succeeded in getting past the military barracks and through hamlets and small villages, the local inhabitants evidently mistaking them for Italian detachments on the march. The. invaders had a brush with a Sicilian Home Guard, who bolted when the first shots were fired. A bridge near Syracuse which die troops had to capture and hold until the seaborne invaders arrived was defended by a machine-gun post which one detachment attacked without success. The troops then attempted to get around the post, and the correspondent fell over a small chfl and was separated from the airborne troops for some hours. He rediscovered them in time to take part in the final dash. for the bridge, which was reached with slight casuciltios. A bridge across two canals on the main road outside Syracuse had been captured by troops who landed near it after they had killed or captured twice their number of the enemy. A lieutenant-colonel took charge of tne area and with a force of under 100 able-bodied men organised the defences and withstood counter-attacks throughout the day. Their heaviest weapon was a Bren-gun, and during the forenoon on Saturday Italians managed to bring up guns and enfilade the bridge. By 3.15 p.m. the position became impossible and the British were forced to surrender. An hour later their captors led them into one of the forward reconnaissance units of the British attackers, and they marched what remained 01. their captors away as prisoners, thenreturned to defend the same bridge again.

LIBERALS AND MF. CHURCHILL.

RUGBY. July 15

When Iho wartime assembly oi inc Liberal Pnrtv opened in London w.'i w a resolution expressing con tide; we* itylhe Prime Minister's .. direouon, moved by Captain U'ty'? i.'. A" and seconded by f.auy Violet boahtmiCarter, a daughter of th? foreicw L’rene Minister, Earl Asquith, was rnmct. with one dissentient.

NEW ZEALANDER'S FATE

RUGBY. July 15

An Aii- Ministry communique states that Typhoon and Boston bombers attacked enemy airfields at poix and Abbeville this afternoon. There were many combats witn enemy fighters, seven of which were destroyed. Two other enemy fighters were shot down in the Channel oy R.N.Z.A.F. pilots this morning. Seven oi our aircraft are missing. R.N.Z.A.F. pilots destroyed two FQ 190’s and one of the FW’s was destroyed by a Malta D.F.C, a M-vear-old New Zealander, who win e alone found himself attacked headon by 12 FW 190’s. He evaded their fire and manoeuvred his aircraft behind two of them and gave botn a burst. A few seconds later, seeing his companion shot down, another New Zealander, a squadron-leader, avenged him bv shooting down an FQ 190. FAR EAST ~RUGBY, July 15 A communique quoted in a Now Delhi message says that American bombers attacked the Myingyan railway centre on the Irrawaddy, installations being damaged. Other bombers raided Meiktila, where railway sidings and barracks received direct hits. To-night’s Chungking communique also quoted a New Delhi message that the fighting in the Taihaing Mountains has grown more intense. ANGLO-RUSSIAN SERVICE "RUGBY, July 15. British Overseas Airways have opened a service between Britain and Moscow, through the Near East. MALARIA PRECAUTIONS MELBOURNE. July 16. Australian civilians may be compelled to undergo examination and treatment for malaria. Fears have been held that soldiers rrturning from the New Guinea battle zone might introduce the disease into Australia. Cases of such infection have already been reported. Tire State Premiers’ Conference here investigated the position and authorised compulsory treatment. A special report by Sir Earle Page recommended the eradication of swamp-breeding grounds in the Townsville and Cairns areas. The work will be put in hand.