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Otago Daily Times, Issue 25276, 13 July 1943, Page 5

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AXIS UNEASINESS HINT OF ALLIED PLANS A CALL TO FRANCE ißec. 10.30 p.m.) LONDON, July 12. A dramatic message yesterday from Algiers radio calling on the French people to destroy Axis observation posts along the coast and sabotage enemy lines of communication suggests an early invasion of France. The message added that it was of paramount importance that Frenchmen should prepare dumps of weapons when the Allies land. Weight was lent to Ibc invasion suggestion by the-heavy week-end attacks on German communications and air bases in Northern France by strong formations of British and American bombers. Washington opinion. "Suggests that operations against Sardinia and Corsica in the near future will enable the Allies to launch flanking aerial attacks against Western and Central Italy. Rumours ran wild in Sofia following the reclosing of the Turkish-Syrian frontier and the suspension of telephonic communication between Turkey and Bulgaria. The reserve of officers and the majority of Bulgarian divisions were reported to have been called up. Axis radio stations throughout the week-end issued reports of intensive invasion preparations in Syrian ports, w'here the Allies are said to be hurriedly massing landing barges at stations. and it is also reported that the Polish and French troops in Syria are taking' part in massive landing exercises of the type which preceded the invasion of Sicily. Axis circles expect the Allies to use airborne troops on a large scale. They quote Ankara for the statement that two divisions of Allied airborne troops are poised m readiness.

The New York Times, commenting on the invasion of Sicily, says that the Allies have demonstrated that theamphibious operations which failed at the Dardanelles and Dieppe are not only feasible, but, with the right technique, need not be very costly. These landings are merely the forerunner of more to come. The presence in London of the United States Secretary for War, Mr Stimson, and Axis reports of Allied concentrations are straws in the wind pointing to further developments. “ Unless the Germans can increase the momentum of their advance in the Kursk salient within the next few days,” the New York

Times says, “ they may find themselves faced not only with a Russian counter-attack, but with heavy pressure in the west and else-

where. There is no doubt that the world is now witnessing the decisive campaigns of this war.” Issuing a warning of Allied preparations for an attack on the Continent, Berlin radio said the western Mediterranean has been allocated to the Americans while the British will lead the invasion attempts in the eastern Mediterranean.

Outside of Sicily and Italy the majw attention from the Allied air forces in the Mediterranean has been concentrated on Crete. The recent raid on Crete by light shock troops has greatly increased Axis nervousness. With the new phases of Allied offensives there will probably be a general intensification of the air war against Axis targets especially communications and airfields in western Europe. It is believed that in the forthcoming opera-, tions, as in the operations already under way in Sicily, armaments hitherto not used will be brought into play, including new types of planes. ©