LATE MESSAGES

Greymouth Evening Star, 7 June 1944, Page 7

LATE MESSAGES

FIXING THE TIMETABLE.

LONDON, June 6. A War Office unofficial version revealed that Mr. Churchill and President Roosevelt agreed at Casablanca, early in 1943 to knock Italy out before invading France, even though they knew it would delay the western assault until 1944. Mr. Churchill and Mr. Roosevelt approved the battle plans at Quebec in August, 1943, but the exact time was left to General Eisenhower.

GERMAN CLAIMS

Rec. 11.50 a.m.) LONDON, June 6. The liberating troops used many secret weapons for the first time, states the Ministry of Supply. The German Overseas’- News Agency claims that nearly all the Allied air-borne troops and paratroops who landed in France were wiped out, after the first 12 hours of invasion. It adds that the Allies’ beachhead between the Vire and Orne Rivers has been sealed off from all sides, despite the Allies bringing up a heavy battle fleet from the vicinity of Le Havre.

“The Germans are now narrowing down the beachhead locally. Our coastal guards, in powerful counterattacks, have eliminated all other landing heads between the Vire and Orne Rivers. The Germans’ greatest success of the day was the smashing oi a large Allied landing attempt at St. vaast, The Allies here operated on the assumption that their paratroops dropped near Barfleur, 15 miles east of Cherbourg, and St. Vaast would succeed in neutralising ihe German defences, thus clearing the way for the huge landing operation. One particularly strong formation oi Allied paratroops drooped between Le Havre and Cherbourg gained a hold of both sides of the road running between Carentan and valognes. They were strongly reinforced this morning, and this afternoon bitter fighting was still in progress.”

Marshal Goering issued an order of the day in which he declared that the invasion must be beaten off, even if the Luftwaffe perished. INVASION PUBLICITY. , T , LONDON, June 6. Nearly 250,000 words of news and comment and many pictures of the Allied invasion were telegraphed abroad from London through cables and wireless in the first 12 hours. ALLIED OPTIMISM. LONDON, June 7. There is a feeling of optimism at Allied headquarters. All is going well, and the leaders are very pleased at the way the airborne operations were carried out. Tfiey had done better than hoped. It' was revealed that more than 1000 tow-planes, gliders and troop-carriers participated in the airborne operations. The American llnited Press representative at Allied headquarters states that informed quarters said the first German counter-attack in France was likely to materialise within 48 hours. ' BADOGLIO’S NEW GOVT _ _ .. , NAPLES, June 6. Badogho has dissolved the Italian Government, and Prince Umberto has entrusted to him the formation of a new Cabinet, including political leaders in liberated Rome. Badoglio is expected to go to Rome shortlv, ard meet the political leaders there. BANGKOKBOMBED RUGBY, June 6. Strong formations of Allied bombers of Eastern Air Command on Sun- { day dealt Bangkok the heaviest blow it has received in the war, says a Calcutta message. The formations converged on the target at a great height and from all angles dropped a record tonnage of demolition and incendiary bombs. Flak was heavy but generally ineffective.

PACIFIC CAMPAIGN . a SYDNEY, June 7. The American forces on Biak Island (Dutch New Guinea) are approaching the cliffs dominating the approaches to the enemy-held airfields. The Japanese troops are strongly entrenched on these heights. Air actions over the beachhead cost the Japanese five planes destroyed or probably destroyed. On the New Guinea mainland abortive enemy counter-attacks against the Americans at Maffin Bay resulted in more than 100 Japanese being killed. Scattered patrol actions around Hollandia wiped out further /enemy remnants. More than 400 were either killed, captured or found dead along the inland trails.