SECOND EDITION TAKEN BY NAVY

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24636, 15 July 1943, Page 4

SECOND EDITION TAKEN BY NAVY

PORT OF AUGUSTA DEADLY BOMBARDMENT TOWN FOUND ABANDONED By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Kecd. 1.35 a.m.) LONDON, July 14 Describing the capture of Augusta the correspondent of the Daily Express says a cruiser squadron patrolling between Syracuse and Augusta had plastered the hillside town of Melilli, eight miles south-west of Augusta, when it threatened the west tlank of our land forces going north. The warships also bombarded roads in support of our tanks. Later as the cruisers patrolled outside Augusta, a report was received that a white flag Avas living at Cap St. Croce, north of Augusta. A Greek destroyer steamed inshore and put out a boat, but the boat was fired on. The Greeks withdrew and then every unit of our squadron pounded >thc enemy battery positions in the town. It was the most accurate shooting the correspondent had ever seen in the Navy. A battery was silenced immedia telv. The Greek destroyer returned to the harbour, accompanied by two other destroyers, to find only one man left in. the town. A transport later landed troops. All the way from Syracuse to Augusta and beyond, under the lavastreaked saddleback of Mount Etna there are orange lires of ammunition dumps fired by the Italians, red fires front Melilli, black bursts, from our naval bombardments, and white puffs from the 25-pounders creeping north. The small south eastern port of Pozzalla fell to a lieutenant, and a handful of men in a boat. They were from a small destroyer, with a cruiser offshore ready to open fire. The town surrendered unconditionally. Shells were sent over Pozzalla later toward Modica, several miles inland, enabling troops to capture the town.