CANADIANS FEEL PROUD

Southland Times, Issue 25703, 12 July 1943, Page 5

CANADIANS FEEL PROUD

CONSIDERABLE ARMY IN OPERATIONS (Rec. 11.5 p.m.) LONDON, July 11. The 100 miles of shoreline along which the Allies landed in Sicily extends north-east from Cape Passero, on the south-easternmost tip, somewhere towards Syracuse and westward to Gela and Licata, says an American broadcaster from Algiers.

For the first time Canadians feel that their army is really in the war. They are proud of it? says the Ottawa correspondent of The New York Times. After three and a-half years of waiting Canada’s long-time policy of keeping her army, as, one unit for use in a single operations has been changed. So, while a considerable part is in Sicily, a group has been reserved for other operations. The group in Sicily includes the Canadian Lancaster bombing squadron and the French-Canadian Alouette, or skylark squadron. Sicily contains Italy’s greatest “fifth column” says Herbert Matthews, The New York Times correspondent in North Africa. The Sicilians have been Mussolini’s greatest worry. They were the last to succumb to the Fascist movement and the first to work openly against it. They have traditions of freedom which the mainland has forgotten. The Sicilians, who have been forced to suffer the presence of German troops for two years, hate them virulently. They are reported to have stabbed German sentries, conducted sabotage, and caused street fights and

rioting. On the other hand Sicilians admire Americans and do not dislike the English. Most Sicilian families have relatives living in the United States. GERMANS IN DANGER Mr Matthews says the Allies cannot expect the Sicilians’ active help in the early stages of the campaign, but when the main armed resistance is broken the Germans will be fortunate to escape with their throats uncut. He adds that many fascist officials may also have a tough time. This will be the first test of popular Italian reaction to the Fascist regime when not bolstered by German arms. The United States Office of War Information disclosed that the invasion was preceded by the dropping of millions of pamphlets and special broadcasts designed to break the Siclians’ morale. A group of special representatives accompanied the invading armies to conduct psychological warfare. The next step will be the release of pamphlets urging enemy soldiers to surrender. ARTILLERY PUT ASHORE TROOPS HAVE PLENTY OF SUPPLIES (8.0.W.) RUGBY, July 10. The success of the Allied landings in Sicily is announced in a special .communique issued in Algiers tonight, the full text of which reads: “In spite of unfavourable weather conditions and the swell of the Sicilian Channel and first Allied landings in Sicily, which started before dawn, proceeded according to plan. The many beaches and landing places used for these operations extended over a distance of about 100 miles. By about 6 a.m., under heavy fire from a covering force of cruisers, destroyers and gunboats, and other naval units, enemy opposition was checked and the success of all the landings fully assured. By about 7.30 a.m. our troops were advancing and artillery was being put ashore. Fighting continues while more troops with guns, vehicles, stores and equipment are being landed by the Royal and United States Navies. Units of the Indian, Dutch, Polish and Greek Navies are participating in the naval operations.” A separate communique gave the following details of the continuing air attacks on Sicily: “In addition to the attacks on the few aerodromes still being used by the enemy our heavy, medium and fighter bombers attacked communications throughout Sicily. Air operations are proceeding according to plan.” The British United Press Algiers correspondent says: “The successful landings, without serious loss, of the big Allied forces on the beaches of Sicily early today is another great tribute to the combined staffs of the services under General Eisenhower. Some time before the successful conclusion of the Tunisian campaign planning began for the invasion of Sicily by various British and American naval, military and air force experts at Allied Force headquarters. The fact that the Allies have been able to launch an attack of this size less than two months after the end of the Tunisian campaign gives some indication of the excellence of the planning.”

A German military commentator said tonight that the German High Command considered that the Sicily operations were purposely co-ordinated with the Kursk battle on the Russian front. One of Mussolini’s mouthpieces, broadcasting tonight, said the Allies had “overcome the first barrier of our defences?’ Another Algiers message says that from dawn onwards the landing of troops took place on the south-east coast of Sicily. British, American and Canadian troops landed with plenty of equipment and supplies. The correspondent quotes an eyewitness as saying that the coastal waters of Sicily were black with invasion barges and supporting naval craft and all the waters between Sicily and Tunisia were full of boats shuttling back and forth. A pilot said: “We could see swarms of ships going towards Sicily. When we reached Sicily it looked like 1,000,000 flies going in on the beaches.”