Evening star., 1943-07-15
Sicily
Continued From First Page )
received bad mauling at the hands
of the Americans.
Heavier Opposition Expected.

received bad maullng at the hands
Of the Americans.
Heavier Opposition Expected.
Consequently, heavier opposition
Is expected along the route of the 9th
Army, and the latest developments
indicated that the Axis commanders
have firmly decided to commit their
main forces in battle to hold the
British and Canadians below Cata-
MIA, 35 miles up the coast from
Augusta.
italian divisions, too, we're report
ed making a more determined show
of resistance.
However, new waves of British
and American parachute and glider
borne troops had carried out what
the communique called successful
operations, and it was disclosed that
units of the French Army which are
now operating in the battle zone are
Goums, the terror inspiring pig
tailed warriors who fought Sc
effectively along the Mediterranean
coast in Tunisia.
hdTu FISHtinS Forecast.
Hard fighting can be expected be-
fore the capture of Lentlni takes
place, it was said. This center of re-
sistance is about 5 miles from the
coast.
Gan NBC correspondent, in a
radio report from British cruiser
off Eastern Sicily, said the British
had captured both Leninti and
nearby Carlentini.
(Another bombardment of Ca
tania from the sea, after an ear
lier shelling the previous dawn,
was carried out last night, he said,
and an Italian armored train
which pushed south Of Catania,
was forced to withdraw by naval
artillery.
cit was expected that Allied
troops would be hammering the
gates of Catania during the night
if not actually entering the city,"
he said. His report was dated
Wednesday evening.
(The Allied bombardment sent
up solid wall of fame and
smoke along 20 miles of the
Sicilian coast, he added, and
and 6 inch guns we're wrenched
from their shore emplacementsD
The Americans went forward
from the western horn of the Allied
front through hilly and difficult
country to a strategic area protect
ing the British flank and at the
same time threatening the enemy's
rear if he offers battle on the Ca
tania Plain.
Capture of Vizzini would give the
forces of Gen. Patton control OF
the first important east-west road
north of the coastal network OF
communications.
Road Vital to Enemy.
This road, running from Agrigento
near the south coast, through Cal
tanissetta, Caltagirone and Vizzini
is vital to the enemy for maintain
ing liaison between the western and
eastern wings of his front.
Another American column near
Niscemi already was threatening
Caltagirone, about Is miles west of
ViZzini.
The name of the airdrome cap
tured by the Americans was not
given, however, nor were the names
announced of any of the other
places taken in their advance.
1t was announced that American
amphibious jeeps and amphibious
2-ton trucks mounting two machine
guns are among new weapons being
used in the push.
Some OF the Italian prisoners
complained they had had numerous
casualties caused by running into
their own minefieldS.
While the sground forces plugged
away, aiming to isolate the island
and its defenders as they did the
Afrika Korps in Tunisia,. the over-
whelming might of Allied airpower
was thrown into a drive for the
same objective, with hundreds of
heavy and medium Allied bombers
hammering Messina, which stands
on the Sicilian side Of the water
gate to the mainland
Today's communique from Gen.