Evening star., 1943-07-31
Big Advances Made in SiciIy:
Ships She'll Italian Mainland
Continued From First Paxe.)

0IHpS OllSu HUH
Continued From First Page.)
in to unite for peace and freedom
But the Germans, too, have used
that breathing space to strengthen
their own position. And for that
full and sole responsibility rests with
the new government in Rome. Had
that government acted speedily Ger
many by now would be in full re-
treat.
But instead the new government
temporized. 1t missed the oppor-
tunity. It permitted the Germans
to recover.
Italians we cannot tolerate this,
and we issue you this solemn warn
ing; the breathing space has ended
Be prepared"
New Gains in Sicily.
Earlier, headquarters here an
nounced that a powerhouse drive
OF Allied armies crushed more Axis
defense salients in Sicily, while
American and British naval forces
drew tight moose about the north
eastern tip Of the island. Warplanes
meanwhile, laid down a heavy often
sive against mainland airdromes.
The unconditional surrender of
three small islands of the west coast
of Sicily also was announced.
Both the British 9th Army, which
long had been held at a standstiil
before Catania on the east coast,
and the American 7th Army driving
In from the west scored substantial
gains.
American torpedo patrol boats, an
r1ounced in action III Siciliari waters
for the first time, swarmed off the
north coast and even so miles up the
coast of the Italian mainland, strik-
ing repeatedly at enemy supply YES
sells, sinking at least three, while
British naval detachments shelled
the Italian mainland and the Sicil-
ian coast, and cruised into the mar
rowest part of Messina Strait hunt
ing enemy ferries.
Allied warplanes again swept to
the vicinity of Rome to plaster an
airfleld
Heavy Casualties inflicted.
The Americans and British in
their ground advances exacted
heavy casualties among Axis troops,
and the Canadians at the central
hinge also stormed forward, captur-
ing Agira after an artillery and air
barrage which German veterans
said was worse than anything they
had experienced in Russia or North
Africa.
Spectacular victories were scored
by both air and sea forces in the
battle to prevent reinforcement OF
the hard-pressed Sicilian garrison.
A Marauder chased a heavily
armed Merseburg- 1928 transport far
out to sea before destroying it over
Cape Corce, near Augusta, Sicily
Windows opened from the big plane,
which can carry more than 100 in
fantrymen, and tommyguns blazed
during the battle, causing the Allied
pilot to believe it was filled with
troops.
Other Allied planes attacked two
groups of nine Junkers-52 transports,
and damaged at least three in each
group. The toll taken of these big
transports has been high the past
week.
The Americans captured more
than 500 Germans among nearly
1000 new prisoners in the northern
sector.
The islands which surrendered
were Favignana, LevanZo and Maret-
timo. They were the sites of radio
detection stations.
Bombers Return to Rome Area.
The three little islands form a tri-
angle off the west coast of Sicily
the most westerly being Marettimo
which is Is miles from Allied-occu-
pied Trapani.
American bombers returned to the
suburbs of Rome to pulverize the
Practica di Mare airport II miles
south of the capital and Flying
Fortresses, returning to the main.
land for another of their sledgeham-
mer blows, attacked Grottaglie air
port near Taranto on the italian
heel. Allied headquarters announced
Fires we're seen rising high fol.
lowing the American Mitchell as.
sault on Practica di Mare anc
the 1,300-mile round-trip Fortress
attack on Grottaglie. Hits were
made on dispersal areas and admin
istration buildings. Axis planes made
no attempt to turn aside the blows.
Warhawks In q savage fight over
Sardinia shot to pieces q formation
Of German and Italian fighters, de-
stroying II out Of about IS. The
Axis air force reeled under the lop-
sided score of 26 Axis planes lost to
one Allied plane missing for the day
American and British warships
sweeping the italian coastal water,
in defiance of enemy shore guns
sank one merchantmen and prob
ably an enemy motor torpedoboat
and three heavily armed lighters, /.
was officially announced.
!. Rail Bridges Bombarded.
Allied cruisers and destroyers on
Wednesday night bombarded i'm
portant railway bridges near Locri