END VERY NEAR

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 234, 4 October 1943, Page 5

END VERY NEAR

RESISTANCE IN CORSICA Reed. 6 p.m. London. Oct. 1. The famous Gooms in Corsica now hold hill positions three miles west, live miles north-west, and six miles south-west of Bastia. This news is reported by a correspondent at Allied headquarters, who said that the remaining German forces in Corsica are being pinned in and have lost their main defences. The Germans now control only a small strip of flat country south and south-east of the town. The end of German resistance in Corisca is now very near. Recd. 6 p.m. Rugby, Oct. 1. An official communique from French headquarters, broadcast by Algiers radio, states: — "During violent fighting in Corsica our troops compelled the enemy to give ground everywhere and to a'oandon his positions for the defence of Bastia <2O miles from the northern tip of the island). Moroccan troops tooK the height of San Stefano, capturing prisoners, a number of guns, and great quantities of war material. All enemy attempts to retake the height were frustrated. Morocean Goumiers captured the pass of San Leonardo, in the Valley of Golo troons occupied Partezza and Cola and Coronio. Our offensive actions are progressing favourably.

"Yesterday afternoon a formation of some 10 enemy combers was attacked ■by our fighters in the region of Ajaccio. Six of the enemy planes were shot down. Another was destroyed by anti-aircraft fire. Off Bastia two enemy transport planes were shot down.

“Our fighters on Wednesday and Thursday scored 17 air victories. Two of our planes are missing.”—B.O.W. Recd. 8 p.m. London, Oct. 2. It is officially stated that the Germans hold less than 200 square miles around Bastia. says the Exchange Telegraph's Algiers correspondent. They have only 4000 troops in Corsica, where there are 8000 or 10,000 French troops.

The correspondent adds that, including Sardinia and Sicily, the Allies now occupy 35,000 square miles of Italian territory of t?.e total of 116,371 square miks.