FRENCH ARMY IN CORSICA

Grey River Argus, 23 September 1943, Page 5

FRENCH ARMY IN CORSICA

A Secret Coup NATIVES AID THE FRENCH. RUGBY, Sept. 21. The French troops in Corsica are vigorously supporting and efficiently co-ordinatiifg with the actions of tne Corsican patriots, states a communique from Algiers. The entire western part of Corsica has already been liberated. Our advanced elements are holding St. Florent, the eastern part of Conte Zonza , Levie, and Sartente. The enemy attempted to take possession of Sorba and inseca, but was repulsed. Light units of patriots and regular forces are constantly harassing the German communication lines, and are pushing towards Bonifacio and Porto Vecchio. All western Corsica .Is now in French hands, and the French Committee of National Liberation announced that the laws of the Third Republic will once more operate in the island. All Vichy laws are abolished, and a' new prefect of Corsica will be appointed. (Rec. 8.0) LONDON, Sept. 22. I French commandos, in the first allFrench operation of the re-created French fighting forces, have recaptured in Corsica many square miles of French territory. A British United Press correspondent. cabling from Aj.accio on Saturday said: French commandos first landed on Corsica on Monday, Sept. 13. Th’s was one of the most secret operations of the war. The French Navy used its fastest destroyers for the operation. To reach their objective the French destroyers audaciously skirted the Island of -Sardinia, south of Corsica, which then was in the Germans’ hands. U-boats, attacked them, but did so fruitlessly. The commandos were met in Corsica not bv Germans, but by several thousand Frenchmen, who were delirious with joy and were firing rifles and even bld flintlocks into the air. i

The correspondent adds that the enthusiasm was repeated when a second wave of Frenchmen landed four days later. The Cotsicians were asking: "When are the British and Americans coming? When shall we invade France.”

There are about ten thousand: German troops now in Corsica. They mainly are on the east coast, of Corsica. ‘ The French commandos have not ynt made contact with the German'forces. There are some of the fifty thousands Italians, in Corsica, who are already fighting with Corsician patriots against the Germans. Directly the fall of Italy became known, Corsician de Gaullists staged a coup d’etat. The Corsicans arn undoubtedly in favour of the Allies.