CEASELESS RAIDS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25301, 11 August 1943, Page 3

CEASELESS RAIDS

SICILY AND ITALY MESSINA BEACHES POUNDED LONDON, Aug. 9. A British United Press correspondent says that the Axis troops that survive the hell on the beaches have little chance of crossing the straits unscathed. Although Messina Straits remain the focal point of the Allied air onslaught, the rest of North-eastern Sicily and also Southern Italy are attacked ceaselessly. One observer said: “ The Allied air force has spread a vast canopy of wings over the whole area." Everywhere the ground ahead of the Allied infantry is relentlessly being softened up. Randazzo was attacked all day and is rapidly becoming useless. Under the continuous Allied air blasting railway installations and enemy troop concentrations in the town have been smashed, and streams of enemy armoured vehicles and supply lorries passing through Randazzo were wrecked and set on fire. North of Randazzo fighters swooped down on enemy convoys streaming northward. Many lorries packed with troops and also 20 supply vehicles were set on fire. Similar attacks are being carried out along the rest of the front. Our bombers and fighters are fanning out in great waves over the retreating enemy forces. The southern tip of Paly is also being heavily pasted Planes are blasting communication ana supply lines, and American Lightnings ere attacking trains loaded with' arms and supplies, which rushing southward 'to Sicily. They completely wrecked two trains in the Gulf of St. Enfemia and bombed and strafed six other trains miles north of Reggio di Calabria. Marauders wrecked two bridges on the main hichwav to Angjtola. and alc 0 damaged in important railway bridge.

Rome radio asserted tha+ 16 Allied divisions are at present in Sicily, and added that Allied warships again bombarded the Calabrian coast of Italy. Daring Landing

An American broadcast describing the successful landing by troops of the Seventh Army to the rear of the enemy positions in Sicily says it was one of the most daring actions of the whole Sicilian campaign.

Slowed down and practically halted for nearly a week by tough German artillery, machine-gun, and mortar crews, who were on high ground in the San Agata-San Fratello area, the American Command adopted a tactical

trick to by-pass the enemy. American assault troops, under cover of darkness (so that enemy planes could not spot the manoeuvre), embarked in a small fleet, skirted the coastline for a short distance behind San Agata, and stormed inshore. Along the highway near the beach-head a convoy of trucks carrying troops of the German 29th Motorised Division was sighted. The “ Doughboys ” attacked and wiped out the convoy, but some Germans may have escaped on foot towards Messina.

The American sea-borne forces attacked the San Agata-San Fratello line from the rear, while the remaining units advanced frontally. The German line collapsed like cardboard, and the American troops, pushing east along the road, joined up with the landed force, which in the landing had the co-operation of the United States Navy. f Indian Troops’ Part Indian troops took part in the landing south of Syracuse on the first day of the Sicily assault, says the Indian Army observer. Moslems, Punjabs, Sikhs, and Dogras, with the help of Highlanders, maintained a continuous stream of supplies in shallow landing craft to the beaches. They were divebombed and machine-gunned by the Germans, but suffered surprisingly small casualties.

The ships of the Royal Indian Navy are now engaged in operations against the Axis in the Mediterranean. They helped the Eighth Army in the recent invasion of Sicily, escorting convoys and protecting troops during the critical, period of disembarkation on July 10. ,