Evening star., 1943-08-08
Mediterranean Front

Slcilys doom was sealed Thursday
when British troops captured Catania,
anchor of the Axis defense line which
had been held for weeks by the Germans
who fought with all they had for every
foot of the ground. Following quickly on
the heels of this success, American troops
captured Gagliano on the central front
and naval and air forces pounded the
northern escape lines. Messina also came
In for another terrific bombing.
Some idea of the rapidity of the Allied
success was contained in a statement
Friday that 300 enemy planes, a great
many Of them serviceable. were captured
on various fields which fell into Allied
hands.
Figures through July % revealed that
American casualties in the campaign up
to that date totaled only 6,741, of which
Dol were killed and 2,370 missing. British
losses were not a great deal higher and
Allied losses since that time have been
relatively light. Opposing these losses,
the Axis has given up 100000 in prisoners
alone, mostly Italian, while battle cas-
ualties were heavy.
Collapse Started Monday.
The collapse Of the Axis defense line
started Monday when it was reported
that San Stefano on the north coast
had fallen into American hands, thus
removing the northern anchor of the
Ene. From San Stefano an excellent
pathway was open southwark to the
sentral front to which American forces
were rushed to aid the Canadians in
pushing the enemy back toward Ran
dazzo from where convenient road leads
down to the east coast behind the de-
tenders of Catania
Just as in the North African campaign.
the Germans were forced to look to their
line OF retreat from Catania in the face
OF the new threat and within few DAYS.
Catania was abandoned, the German
communicate describing the loss of Ca
tsnia as the result of deceptive ma
neuver by the Germans which deceived
the British Gen. Montgomery, whose
troops are pushing on toward Messina.
probably has no aversion to that kind of
deception, Friday Troina was captured,
threatening the Mount Etna flank of the
Germans
Gen. Eisenhower, making good on his
threat to the Italian people that the
period OF grace was over and that the
attack on Italy proper was about to con-
tinue, sent his heavy bombers to Naples
where on Monday two large troop trans
ports were hit squarely by quarter-ton
oombs. The railway station in Naples
was completely destroyed and a big gas
works was wrecked. On the Capodichino
hirfleld many parked planes were
smashed, the administration building
and hangers, already damaged demol-
tshed and large fuel dump set afire,
the burning gasoline spewing over onto
group of big transport planes.
All over Italy hundreds of thousands
Of Italians were fleeing the industrial
areas to haven in the mountains. Re-
ports received in Bern place at 5000 900
the number seeking safety through Mon
day, with the rush to the hills continuing
all week.
trouble between German and Italian
troops continues, according to various
reports. especially on Crete, where it
was said that Italian troops are being
disarmed by the Nazis, who are in
creasing their garrisons on various Greek
islands.
Plans Po River Stand.
The indications are that Hitler plans
70 set up defense line along the Pc
River In Northern italy and to garrison
the defenses, 1t was reported that Is Ger
man divisions have already poured in.