Threaten Whole German Communication System

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 222, 18 September 1943, Page 5

Threaten Whole German Communication System

(By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) Received Saturday, 12.12 p.m. LONDON, Sept. 17. With the announcement of the Yugoslavs’ capture of the port of Split, reports are pouring in from all parts of the Balkans of how patriots following the withdrawal of the Italian army of occupation are exploiting to the fullest Germany’s difficulties. Patriots who control a hundred miles of the coast from the Italian frontier southward captured the towns of Trogir, Klis and Solin in the Spiit area. Reuter’s correspondent inside Europe says General Mikhailovitch’s forces drove the Germans out of Projepolje in Dalmatia after the Germans had disarmed the Italians.

Patriots are threatening almost the entire German communications system in Southeast Europe. They are par ticularly menacing the railway network around Zagreb and connections with Rumania and Hungary. The line between Belgrade and Sarajevo is already cut.

The Italian garrisons in the Dalmatian coast town of Dubrovnik and also in Karlovac and Grapina are still holding out against German attacks. Italian troops in one Dalmatian town set fire to several barracks and hutments before the Germans arrived.

Bitter clashes occurred in Athens between German troops and the Italian Eleventh Army, the majority of whom remained loyal to Badoglio. The Italian Gergamz Division surrendered to partisans with all its equipment. Italians wishing to fight the Germans are forming a Garibaldi Brigade. Reports from Istanbul say that 12 Bulgarian divisions are already moving into Greece and Yugoslavia to replace the Italian occupation troops.