U.S. ASSAULT BOATS

Grey River Argus, 18 November 1942, Page 5

U.S. ASSAULT BOATS

RUN INTO TROUBLE. TAKING OF MOROCCO [Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] (Rec. 8.5.) 16. In the operations against French Morocco, four American assault boats were proceeding to Fedala, when they lost their bearings in the darkness. They found themselves in Casablanca, near an unidentifiable destroyer, which opened fire on them with ma-chine-guns. The leader of the first boat then warned off the other boats and ordered his men to stand with their hands up. The destroyer again fired, blasting the boat with threeinch shells, killing four men. The remainder then jumped overboard. They were then picked up by the destroyer. The French sailors explained that they had no alternative but to obey their orders and to fire. _ They were forced to resist they said, for fear of reprisals being taken against the Frenchmen in France,

A QUICK AMERICAN CAPTURE. (Rec. 8.50) LONDON, Nov. 17. Correspondents with the American task force who recently captured Safi, in French Morocco, say the place was taken after a few hectic hours. Two old American destroyers, stripped, with their foretops removed, were packed with infantry who had been trained for street fighting, and were armed to the teeth. The destroyers were manoeuvred through a minefield into the harbour at ful. speed. One ran itself on to a beach, and its troops swarmed, over the side and bolted into the town, while the destroyers’ guns pounded the French coastal artillery. FRENCH EVACUEE SHIP SUNK BY BRITISH NAVY (Rec. 8.50) LONDON, Nov. 17. The Vichy radio affirms that a British naval unit, off Algeciras, in southern Spain, attacked a French vessel which was bringing evacuated French officers from North Africa. The naval unit sank the French vessels, and all of those on board perished.

Naval Activity

LONDON, Nov. 16.

The Royal Navy maintains control of the Western Mediterranean and its approaches. This naval force has suffered losses but these have been small in proportion to the size of the operations, and the casualties on the whole have been light. To-day the Navy took into custody the officers and crew ot a U-boat ' sunk off the North African coast.

The Paris radio reports that a naval battle is occurring between an Italian squadron supported by a German squadron, and British and American naval squadrons off the North African coast.

Anxiety in Berlin

PUBLIC MISGIVINGS OVER ROMMEL'S DEFEAT (Rec. 12.18) LONDON, Nov. 17. “The Times” German frontier correspondent says: “Mystified citizens of Berlin are showing a voracious unsatisfied hunger for news of North African events. Crowds waiting at newspaper kiosks plainly are unable to conceive Marshal Von Rommel, their greatest national hero, capable of suffering a decisive defeat. The German man in the street is dreading adverse developments in North Africa, or elsewhere, which would be likely to weaken Germany’s east front defences, and cause an ultimate turn of the tide in favour of the Prussians. Newspapers contain nothing to ' dispel present misgivings. Even the German High Command bulletins sometimes do not mention Marshal Rommel’s forces. ROMMEL IN EUROPE ? (Rec. 11.10.) NEW YORK, Nov. 17. The “New York Times” Berne correspondent says: According to unconfirmed reports, from Rome, Marshal Von RommeJ, Marshal Von Keitel and General Cavallero flew there from Tripoli last night and Marshal Von Rommel and Marshal Von Keitel flew north after several hours' conversation with Marshal Goering.

SIR C. NEWALL’S EXPECTATION,

P.A. WELLINGTON, Nov. 12. “I think I can say with confidence that you will hear better news yet, and news that will be a great surprise to you,” said the GovernorGeneral (Sir C. Newall) speaking to a gathering at the Tin. Hat Club’s tattoo last night, upon the trend of events in the war. He predicted that the resistance by the Vichy forces in North Africa would very shortly be finished. “I think you will find that a section of the French forces will be joining up with us.”

A note of caution was sounded by His "Excellency, however: “Let us not think that the war is over. This, as Mr Churchill says, may not be the.?

beginning of the end but it may be the end of the beginning. The path ahead may still be long and rough. Do not let us sit back. This victory should serve as an inspiration to us to do something more for those who are over there, and to do something to make! sure they are looked after when they come back. We want to be sure the country will be worthy of what thev have done for us.