BECOME A PURSUIT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21148, 16 July 1943, Page 3

BECOME A PURSUIT

SICILIANJNVASION FASTER THAN PLANNED LACK OF RESISTANCE (British Official Wireless.) (9 a.m.) RUGBY, July 15. The invasion of the south-eastern tip of Sicily, says a press correspondent, has become a pursuit of an almost non-resisting enemy, in three days the assault force has gone twice as inland twice as fast as was planned, Ino armoured spearhead by midday on Monday was at Palazzolo, 30 miles from the landing beach, and was expected to be miles further north-wes: by the end of the afternoon. “When the shock forces swarmed ashore early on Saturday they Drought with them scarcely enough transport for the progress that v. as expected,’’ he says. “That transport is still inadequate now that the invaders have assumed the role of pursuers ul the world’s fleetest retirers, and today I saw men foot-slogging along. Under the blaze of a noonday sum i hey are going slightly wearily. The; are feeling the heat and must be starling to tire as they plod on, in.i the spirit and morale are as good as ever.

"The Italian non-resistance reached a new peak when they abandons ; I'eld-guns following the start of an infantry attack on their position>. Though well placed along a line m commanding heights, they fired a tew token rounds and then some gunners tied, some gave themselves up, ami the guns were captured by the attacking infantry without a single casualty. An impression of the capture is given by Captain James Pennie, who said that one minute the men were Jigiuing forward and a few minutes later they were giving cigarettes to prisoners. Five minutes after that mey were pacifying nearby women and children as Axis aircraft swept over too late to save the batteries. Axis Chances Missed "Nevertheless, the opposition was chiefly encountered by the artillery and the Italian infantry was still as light-shy as at the start of the invasion. The captain commanding a company whom 1 asked how the battle was going, replied, T fired one Bren gun magazine and captured 170 prisoners.’ "Axis air activity is still relatively slight in this sector, especially during the day. The Axis air forces missed a great chance.. Great concentrations oi shipping no longer cluster on the beaches as at the start of the invasion. Here is an indication of the enemy's failure to seize chances—one tanklanding ship stuck fast on one beach and was moved only after three days' effort to pull her oil'. During the whole lime not one attempt was made to attack the ship,”

The correspondent ac}ds that the Pachino airfield was found to be ploughed up, but it was quickly being brought back to a usable condition. A was now becoming possible to form some estimate of the Axis strength ii. Sicily and the total armour available to him. This includes some Tigers—a majority are Italian tanks.

The past two days has seen a steady trek back to the farms and villages oi civilians in numerous donkey "carts. It is interesting to note that the men smile and salute in British fashion. The children laugh and cheer and give the V sign. But most of the , women are serious faced and undemonstrative. Some raise a hand in the Fascist salute. Lorry-loads oi prisoners—nearly all cheerful—come in, many of the men singing. “There is no doubt,” he says, "thal we caught the local troops with then trousers oil', but it is impossible to believe that a majority ran without even putting on that garment, as would seem to be indicated by the large number of Italian uniforms scattered all over the place. Judging by the number of men of apparent military age and fitness working on farms, there has been a certain amount of unofficial demobilisation by Sicilian soldiers who quickly seized the chance to return to their vineyards, vegetable gardens, and homes as civilians, rather than to spend the rest of- the war as prisoners.”