ITALIAN FEARS

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

ITALIAN FEARS

DISASTROUS TWO DAYS TERRIFIC AIR BOMBING SICILY NEXTJ)BJECTIVE (United-Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyrlg-nt) (Received June 14, noon) LONDON, June 13 Following a disastrous two days, in which Italy lost all her island outposts between Sicily and the African mainland—Pantellaria, Lampedusa and Linosa—the Rome radio today prepared the Italian people for further Allied moves, particularly attacks against Sardinia and Sicily, or both. The announcer said: “Hannibal is at the gates. This is the feeling that is current throughout the country today. The situation is the gravest that Italy has ever faced in the whole of her modern history. Innumerable Allied ships are in Mediterranean waters. Our planes, with their German comrades, are hurling themselves incessantly into the attack against enemy warships in the Sicilian Straits and Algerian waters off Cyrenaica.” The German news agency also reported the concentration of a considerable number of small landing craft in Bizerta harbour. It claimed that German bombers attacking on the night of June 12 sank or severely damaged at least 20 of these vessels.

An Italian communique claims that the Luftwaffe attacked an enemy naval formation in the Sicilian Straits, and sank a transport and 14 landing craft, and seriously damaged three cruisers, 14 smaller naval units and six cargo ships. Onslaught Against Sicily The Rcme radio reports that the great battle which began yesterday is now progressing between Axis dive-bembers and a large Allied convoy sailing between Pantellaria and the Tunisian coast, including a large number of trocp transports, ships carrying equipment and big landing barges, protected by powerful naval forces. Meanwhile the Allied air forces are keeping up the onslaught against Sicily. Reuter’s correspondent at tile Allied Headquarters in North Africa declares: Sicily, the United Nation’s next stepping-stone to the Italian mainland, in the past 24 hours has taken another powerful hammering from the air. While portion of the North-west African Air Force yesterday switched its attention to forcing Lampedusa to surrender, other bombers continued to smash large numbers of grounded Axis aircraft at three of the largest airfields in West Sicily—Castel Vetrano, Boocadifalco and Milo. Scores of Planes Destroyed Fortresses found nearly 150 planes parked at Castel Vetranc and Boccadifalco, and they dropped carefully iTfmed fragmentation bombs among them. Many fires and two explosions were seen and a large fire was observed in the south and central part of the airfield. At the Boccadifalco aerodrome, which is near Palermo, many of the 72 planes on the field were destroyed. Many hits were also scored on buildings near the aerodrome. A fire and black smoke rising from the centre of the field were visible 25 miles. Ten enemy fighters were seen shortly after the bombers left the target, but these made no attacks.

Marauders carried out an attack on Milo airfield, near Trapani. Only negligible anti-aircraft fire was encountered anywhere and few enemy planes were seen in the air. Activity at Gibraltar An Italian communique, in announcing the surrender of Lampedusa I said: “Pounded continuously from the air and sea Lampedusa ceased the unequal struggle.” The Rome radio complained that the Allies used such an overwhelming force against Pantellaria and Lampedusa as would be better employed against a more worthy objective. It added: “These two small Italian islands have no greater value than Jersey or Guernsey, which have both been occupied by the Germans.” The Algiers correspondent of the Times says that part of the garrison who took to the hills in Pantellaria are in a desperate position, with little food and almost no water. The Berlin radio today quoted a report from La Linea that 43 British landing craft have arrived at Gibraltar. It is rumoured that these craft are destined for North Africa, where they will be held in readiness for an invasion attempt against Sicily. The radio also asserted that great activity has been observed in • the fortress of Gibraltar.