The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-08-02
The Turning
Of The War
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stuck on them. Several very dead
Germans lie in attitude utterly re-
laxed, like men deep in sleep. One
has his right arm over his head In
a macabre caricature of he'll Hitler
1t was the way he fell. Rifles. am
munition and iron helmets are
streWn everywhere but you don't
touch anything. Remember BOBBY
traps.
Then there is a sharp reminder
that this isn't an old battlefield but
a very live one. Guns behind bang
bang their salvoes. The strange
screech of the shells makes the old
gunner with you smile grimly and
nod approvingly. That is real war,
says he. Planes buzz busily back and
forth. All your own. They have the
same impersonal air as the gunfire.
1t seems as if they might merely
be practicing as they do around the
big air fields back home. But there
are heavy rumblings from tranquil
looking Catania. Brownish gray
smoke pillows up laZly from the
town. Men are dying. Men are los
ing limbs and eyes.
But after Hollywood movies it
seems rather undramatic. 1t is all
way over there in that Riviera look
ing town or down in that plain
which resembled the San Joaquin
Valley. There is one effect you
don't find in movie theaters how
ever. That is the smell of death.
Foul Roads
The road wanders over the Shout
ders of the mills paralleling the
front. Strange that a would-be
empire builder like Mussolini should
have such foul roads right in his
home countryt. Empires need roads.
The Romans knew that Along the
roads the Sicilians are threshing
grain as If nothing Is going on.
One old chap shambles along with
a valise on a stick like good old
American hobo.
He appears unperturbed. An
other gives signal with an en-
gaging smile. A child gives the
Fascist salute to the visitors.
Not many soldiers are visible
anywhere but all along is the lit
ter Of war, such as burned out
trucks and smashed planes. And
always those intermittent basso rum
bles from Catania and the occa-
sional industrious whack- whack of
our artillery and the song of shells
on their way.
Some distance off you find the
headquarters OF a famous division.
From 1t energies figure familiar
to all, Americans and British alike.
You can't mistake that beret, that
sharp glance. Gen. Sir Bernard L.
Montgomery gets around over lot
Of territory.
Gen. Sir B. L. Montgomery
He has a quick, cordial manner.
In response to the reporters uni
versal question, whats doing" he
mentions his personal message just
issued to troops which sums up the
situation. Montgomery wears shorts
and short-sleeved khaki shirt. His
arms are lean and brown. His beret
bears two army badges.
Montgomery radiates alertness and
eagerness. 1.-THE Americans are 60
ing wonderfully, he says. IT saw
General George s. Patton and we
discussed plans. BY the way,
nearly killed myself in that Flying
Fortress landing yesterday. We
burned out the brakes rushing down
short runway and finally the
pilot slowed 1t around just in time -
This remark accompanied by an en-
gaging grin, was made half jok-
ingl, then he yclimbed into his open
car and was off about his business
of battle. Leaving he gave a char
acteristic gesture, half salute, half
hand wave-a genial gesture.
Montgomery'S car is like no other
1t carries desert compasses, includ-
ing one Messerschmitt compass.
At another place we encountered
the commander of a Highland divi-
sion. Tall, stopped and affable, he
is the boss of many famous High
land regiments. Like everybody, he
radiates confidence but not cocki-
ness. 1t is a calm confidence such
as manifested by those who know
they have the upperhand of situa-
ton. He showed his true Scotch
hospitality by Immediately produc-
ing tea.
Twisted Orders
Along the rough, bumpy road we
pass through shelled area where
the Germans made repeated at
tempts to destroy bridge. Orders
are twisted and the roadway holed
We pass former German airf1eld
neatly patterned with American
bomb craters and Uttered with the
wreckage of German planes that
never got chance to arise to
fight.
There Is q Sicilian farmhouse a
few miles away where we tarry to
talk to the farmer. He informs us
he used to live in the Bronx but
returned to Sicily because his old
parents wanted to die at home. What
does he think about things? First
he wants to know whether the Ger
mans are ever coming back. Reas-
sured on that point, he asks when
all the trouble" will, end. Told
1t won't be long now. he smiles hap
PLY and remaTks he will be glad to
have the trouble over SO he won't
need to worry any more about those
banging noises which scare his cows
and chickens.