The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-07-16

Continued from Page u
cupied, while American troops took
over Palma di Montechiare, on the
south coast west of Licata.
Other towns taken were: Canicat-
TIM, Bagni, Vittoria, Campobello,
oSrtino, Modica, Comiso, and Bis
carl airdrome, some of which had
been previously reported seized.
A total of more than 1900 prison.
ers had been taken, including prob
ably 1892 taken by the Americans.
While Allied bomber squadrons
hammered furiously at Naples,
Palmero and other targets, the
British 9th Army under Gen. Sir
Bernard L. Montgomery was en-
gagged in the bitterest fighting of
the invasion on the east coast, north
of Augusta.
The fighting was becoming
steadily tougher as the veteran
italian field divisions as we'll as
such German forces as the Her
mann Goering division too kover
from the italian coastal divisions.
axis broadcasts said the German
and italian forces repulsed many
Allied attacks all along the Sicilian
line)
Rear Guard Action
1t was believed the enemy might
have decided to fight a rear guard
action all the way back to the
northeastern tip of Sicily, making
the best possible use of the noun
famous area across the base of the
northeastern trip running from
Catania through Mount Aetna to
the northern coast, probably around
Capo D'Orlando.
The key to the whole campaign,
however, may depend on what hap
pens in the next few days on the
Catania plain, since the fall OF Ca
tania would endanger the whole
Axis line and threaten to cut it off
from the Italian mainland.
Bitter fighting took place, espe-
cially in the eastern sector. where
the 9th Army made further progress
against German troops who des-
perately contested every inch OF
ground" said the communicate from
headquarters of Gen. Dwight D. Els
enhower
Sink Torpedo Boat
The Allied naval forces supporting
the 9th Army ranged all along the
coast and a destroyer operating
north of Augusta sank one enemy
torpedo boat and probably da:-Agcd
or sank another.
Both sides were using tanks on the
east coast, where the Germans have
some of their Cotton vehicles in &C
ton. (The German communique to-
day said that the Allies suffered
"heavy losses in tanks" south OF
Catania and that Axis airplanes sue
cessfully attacked Allied shipping,
sinking or damaging several trans
ports to boost the total of invasion
vessels sunk to So. The German
radio said that two Allied cruisers,
five destroyers, one submarine, two
other Warships and 81 merchantmen
were sunk in the first two weeks OF
June in the Mediterranean. In addi-
ton, many other ships, including ID
cruisers, were damaged and 1926
airplanes shot down, the Nazis
claimed)
Allied parachute troops have been
thrown into the fighting at num-
Der of points in Sicily and have
helped to push back the enemy, in
f1icting heavy losses. especially In
the Augusta area. (Allied paratroops
have been reported fighting on the
Catania plain for several days but
apparently have not made contact
with the 9th Army coming up from
Augusta
THE speed of the advance is very
satisfactory but transport and COM
munications are of necessity lin
tied during the present stages" the
communique said. Little damage
has been done by the enemy to COM
munications"
The Americans on the western
flank were said to have inflicted
heavy losses on the enemy.
Filling stations being established
in GERMANY can service from $50