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Grey River Argus, 16 August 1944, Page 5

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IN SOUTH FRANCE EAST OF TOULON Allied Forces Landed EARLY ON TUESDAY FIRST OBJECTIVES QUICKLY TAKEN. [Aus. & N.Z- Press Assn.l (Received Aucust 15, 10.50 p.m.) NEW YORK, August 15. American, British and_ French troons are now invading southern France under the cover of an Allied Air Force. are being supported by a combined Allied Fleet The landings began on Tuesday mornina before dawn. (Rec. 11.50.) RUGBY, August 15., News of an invasion in Southern France was announced by fne Supreme Allied Headquarters in the Mediterranean. General Maitland Wilson, in a message to tne French people, said: Armies of the United Nations have landed in Southern France. Their objective is to drive out the Germans and link up with the Allied armies in the north. the French Army is in being again, -het the Frenchmen remember 1918. pens end the struggle as soon as possible, so that France may live again! A press correspondent saiu: paratroops landed in Southern France two miles inshore, before dawn. n.t dawn, Allied ’planes carried out. a bombarament This was followed just before seven o’clock, by a heavy naval bombardment. Primary ojectives were neutralised. “H Hour _ was eigh o’clock Infantry went in in waves Less than an hour after they. the first wave reached their objectives. Before ten o’clock, other’waves oi trO So P ?ar "torr. Is no indication where the landing r taking place.

U.S.A. GENERAL IN COMMAND (Rec 10) LONDON, Aug. 15. The British United Press understands that the landing force in southern France is commanded by the United States officer, Lieut.-Gen. Jacob Devers, Deputy Commander-in-Chief in the Mediterranean. SCENE OF THE LANDING ( F ,3 C 1.0) LONDON, Aug. 15. The German News Agency says.:— An Allied landing in southern France has occurred at Bormes, east ol 10 An° n Allied communique from Italy to-day says:— Strong forces of Allied heavy-bombers on Monday, attacked gun positions southern France, and along the -oast of Italy. Our bombers on Sun'S night attacked port installations •t Genoa. The Mediterranean an force flew approximately 1,900 sorU A’ Reuter’s correspondent at Allied headquarters in Italy sa^- , N ?I a single German plane appeared to challenge the Allied planes. Mustang and Lightning fighters smashea communications by strafing all radio stations in coastal areas. A British United Press correspondent at Algiers says: A formei United States Ambassador at Laus, Mr. William Bullitt, was enlisted with the French army with the rank of Major for service in military operations on French territory.

ATTACK FROM ITALY TREMENDOUS air support (Rec. 12.15) LONDON Aug- 15. A special communique fiom tne Allied advanced headquarters in Ka y announced that British, American and French troops, strongly sup ported by Allied air forces, are being landed to-dav on the southern coast if France by the British, American and French Fleets. A Rome- correspondent ot tne American Press says: Amer.can heavy bombers on Monday dropped oved 1400 tons of bombs in more than 50 separate attacks against, enemy coastal batteries in the regions of Toulon, Nice, Cannes and Genoa. About 750 unescorted heavy bombers carried out raids'. There are reports that other planes .attacked military installations and other military targets in the same area. Tactical planes aiocked military objectives in southern France, northern Italy, Yugoslavia and the battle area. Bombers on Monday night attacked port installations and shipping at Marseilles. An enemy plane was destroyed in these operations. Ten of our planes are missing ELEVEN WAVES OF INFANTRY LANDED IN TWO HOURS. (Rec. 1.0) LONDON, Aug. 15. A U.S. National Broadcasting Corporation correspondent in Italy says: j There was a minimum of German opposition when the first wave of American infantry landed on a beach in southern France. Paratroops were landed two miles inshore before dawn. In under an hour one company from the first wave reached the first objective. Seven waves, with two thousand men or more, were in France before 10 ,a.m. The aerial bombardment began at dawn. A naval bombardment began at 6.50 a.m. Fire was poured into shore positions, where primary objectives were neutralised. Eleven waves of infantry had been put ashore in under two hours. The paratroops were dropped to paralyse German communications, and to prevent Germans from occtmving high ground overlooking beaches. Low cloud impeded our bombers. Heavy cruisers and destroyers bombarded shore positions for 70 minutes. Thereafter landing craft, loaded tor the limit, stormed the beaches. PROCLAMATION TO THE > FRENCH (Rec. 1.0) LONDON, Aug. 15 General Maitland Wilson Command-er-in-Chief of the Mediteranean, .on Tuesday- morning issued the following proclamation to the French population: —"Armies of United Nations have landed in Southern France. Their objective is to drive out the Germans and join up with Allied armies advancing from Normandy. French forces participating in these operations side by side ' with their Allied brothers in arms, by sea,. land and air. The Army of France is in being again on its oWn soil for the liberation of its country. Remember 1918! All Frenchmen, civilians as well as military, have a' part to play in the campaing in the south. Your duty will be made clear to you. Listen to the Allied radio! Read notices and leaflets and pass on all instructions from one man and woman to another. Let us end the struggle as quickly as possible, so that all France may again resume her free life. Victory Is certain. Long live

the spirit of France, and all it stands for.” ALLIED LANDING PREDICTED. LONDON, August 11. “Southern France, rather than Northern Italy, is the Allies’ objective for the next landing in Europe;' was stated on Friday last by Captain Sertorius. “The concentration of a considerable part of the Fifth Army, which has been withdrawn from the front, and a concentration of shipping in central Italian and Corsican harbours has led to the assumption that the Allies intend to land in Northern Italy. I think that the enemy is not now considering tne Ligurian coast, with its mountainous hinterland, which is unsuitable for operational deployment, but more likely he intends to land on the coast of Southern France.” French Forces of the Interior and Germans fought near Colmar, in Alsace. The Germans lost' 100 men, whereas the French losses were only one man killed and one wounded. In Savoy, a German garrison occupying the Tarentaise country in the Upper Isere Valley fled towards Italy, after hard pressure by the French. Opposed by Italian and French Maquis forces, the Germans are now beginning to surrender. This is the first time authoritative . French sources have mentioned the intervention of Italian forces.