RAIDS ON SICILY

Grey River Argus, 17 June 1943, Page 5

RAIDS ON SICILY

And South Italy

LONDON, June’ 15.

“On Sundav night Wellington bombers of the Strategical Air Force attacked targets in Sicily. At Messina the railway yards and the harbour area received many hits, and several fires resulted. On Monday, activities of the Northwest African Air Forces were confined to reconnaissance and patrolling. IXO aircraft is missing. jFour additional enemy aircraft were shot down on Friday bringing the total to 18, lor the loss of three of our aircraft. Messina was bombed on Saturday night. Wellingtons used two-ton block-bust-er bombs and incendiaries on shipping and the ferry terminal. On Monday long-range fighters of the Royal Air Force attacked an enemy schooner in the Aegean Sea, scoring many hits and leaving the vessel smoking amidships. All the aircraft returned. Malta fighters on an offensive sweep over Sicily and the toe of Italy destroyed aME 109. Malta Mosquitos were also over Sicily and the toe of Italy last night, bombing and strafing over a wide area. In Sicily a railway station and sidings at Licata Zana railway junctions at me terminus, and near where the River Torto enters the sea, were attacked by cannon and machine-gun fire. Road transport was machine-gunned. in Southern Italy there was a direct bomb hit on a factory and another on a power station. Fire was started at a railway station._ In the raid on June o, the Littoria class battleship received a direct nit on the forward deck, where plates were buckled and it is likely the forward gun turret suffered damage. Reports from Zurich say that neutral correspondents in Rome and Milan agree that the fail of PantelJaria and Lampedusa caused a deep impression in Italy. “Popolo d Italia says that the fatalhour has arrived. One choice remains, victory or deatn. The Moscow radio says it is reported from Berne that the situation in Sardinia is tense. More than 5,000 workers have already! left Sardinia for the mainland. Italians are being told to stand by for an Allied invasion. Rome radio has kept a “hate” campaign going by alleging Italians in British war camps are suffering untold miseries. Luftwaffe Claim SEVEN TRANSPORT HIT. LONDON, June 16. A German communique claims that the Luftwaffe hit seven mediumsized transports in the waters of Pantellaria.