EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES

Waikato Times, Volume 132, Issue 22063, 14 June 1943, Page 3

EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES

WHITE FLAGS HOISTED ON LAMPEDUSA LINOSA GIVES IN—NOT A SHOT FIRED LONDON, June 13 Two further Italian islands, Lampedusa and Linosa, have surrendered to the Allies in extraordinary circumstances. Linosa, north-west of Lampedusa, surrendered to the British destroyer Nubian without a shot being fired. The Allied air attacks were switched from Pantellaria to Lampedusa 90 minutes after the first white flag appeared on Pantellaria. It is considered the fastest tactical change-over ever carried out by any air force. Lampedusa was suddenly deluged with bombs. There was no rising crescendo, but a sudden unleashing of the attack that previously had been poured on Pantellaria. Nevertheless, Lampedusa was given a chance to surrender by messages dropped to the garrison from aeroplanes. Allied bombers first saw white flags on Lampedusa at midafternoon on Saturday, after the North African air forces had plastered the island for 24 hours. The warships, however, did not see the flags and remained off the island until 7 p.m., when an Allied officer went ashore and dictated the terms of surrender to the senior Italian officer of the island, who accepted them. The occupation of Lampedusa followed immediately and Allied troops on Saturday night were guarding the island. Yesterday the air attack was switched to Sicily, on the west coast of which three important air fields were hammered. On one were 76 grounded planes and on another 72. Splinter bombs were rained among the planes and heavy damage was caused. The Italians on Pantellaria, says a correspondent, really seemed to be the friends of the Allies. They were bitter against the Germans, who took their food and water.