MODICA CAPTURED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXIII, Issue 193, 15 July 1943, Page 5

MODICA CAPTURED

CANADIAN EXPLOIT

TERRIFIC AIR OFFENSIVE

LONDON, July 14.

The Allied advance in Sicily continues all along the front, and correspondents report that further places have been captured, including the town of Modica, about 10 miles from the coast and on the railway southeast of Ragusa. To the Canadians goes the honour of capturing the largest town yet taken by the Allies in Sicily.

The capture of the town and airfields at Comiso, on the railway north-west of Ragusa, is also reported, and still further' north-west the Americans have taken an airfield north of Gela. These are all important gains.

. On the east coast of the island the British troops are pushinsr on towards Catania, from Augusta, whose port, like that at Syracuse, is said to be undamaged. The airfield near Catania has been heavily bombed.

In the air the Allies are keeping up a terrific attack, and one correspondent says that it is the greatest and most concentrated offensive ever mounted. Some of the Allied planes are flying from airfields in Sicily. The depth of the advance is up to 30 miles inland in some places and it is reported that the prisoners now total 10,000, including 1 the whole staff of the commander of the 206th Italian Coastal Division, General Bavet, who, as reported earlier, was captured. General Eisenhower's Headquarters report that this division has been almost completely eliminated.

General Alexander (Deputy-Commander-in-Chief to General Eisenhower) has been to the Sicilian battle area and has visited many of the troops.

British troops are moving swiftly through the hills at the southern end of the Catania Plains, following the occupation early to-day of Augusta.

The capture of Ragusa and the linking up of the Canadian and American forces have been officially confirmed. It is also reported that the town of Noro has been captured by the Americans. Noro is 10 miles inland from Licata. On the south coast there has been heavy fighting between the Americans and Germans in the Gela area, where 10 enemy tanks were knocked out and many prisoners taken. A late agency message says that the Allies are threatening a town north-west of Gela.

In the air yesterday the Allies destroyed 42 enemy planes for the loss of six.