Germans Rushing To Italy’s Toe

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 206, 31 August 1943, Page 5

Germans Rushing To Italy’s Toe

LONDON, Aug. 29. According to the Stockholm Allehanda, the German High Command is rushing strong reinforcements to the toe of Italy in anticipation of Allied landings. The Algiers radio says that it is officially reported that all of the main railways in Southern Italy are now cut. On Saturday Taranto was attacked twice in 24 hours which also saw continued heavy bombing in Italy during which 29 enemy planes were shot down. A Middle East air communique states that Liberators of the Ninth U.S.A.A.F. bombed railway installations at Taranto in daylight on Saturday, scoring direct hits on the station and causing explos ions and bursts covered the whole area of the yards. In the outer harbour black smoke poured from a vessel after it was bombed. One Me-109 was destroyed during combats with a small force of intercepting fighters.

R.A.F. aircraft attacked the marshal lmg yards at Crotone on Friday night, starting fires and chemical works were hit. From these and other operations all our aircraft returned.

The North-West African air forces on Saturday carried out heavy attacks on railway communications in Italy, stages an air communique from North Africa. Wireless installations at the Ventotene Islands, off the west coast of Italy, and industrial targets in Sardinia, were also attacked, as well as gun positions at San Giovanni. In the course of these operations 28 enemy aircraft were shot down. Eight of our planes are missing. In combats over Foggia on Wednesday 21 enemy aircraft were shot down in addition to 'rbose already reported, and over Capua on Thursday an additional four enemy planes were shot down.