Evening star., 1943-07-28
U. S. Troops Capture Cefo|u,
Sweep On Eastward in Sicily;
Air Blasting Of ItoIy Continues
Bottle Against Axis
Bridgeheod Reaches
'SIugging Stage
By the Associated Press.

American troops Of the 7th
Army. sweeping eastward toward
the tip of Sicily, have captured
Cefalu, 80 miles west of MeSsina
Strait, and are advancing against
strongly prepared German de-
lenses at San Stefano, it was an
nounced at Allied headquarters
today.
The Americans are slashing for
ward on deep front along the north
coast, and have also captured Ali
mena, 25 miles southeast of Cefalu,
and four other towns behind line
from Cefalu to Alimena.
The other four are Petralia. 9
miles north of Alimena; Collesano,
8 miles southwest of Cefalu; CAL
teveturo. II miles southwest of
Cefalu, and Pollizzia, just forward
of Calteveturo.
The battle of the bridgehead had
reached the "slugging stage" as Gen.
Dwight D. Eisenhower's headquar-
tiers communique announced that
Canadian troops in the center of the
front also had made progress in
hard fighting and against bitter
opposition.
Sth Army Stopped at Catania.
The British 9Th Army still was
stopped dead before Catania. in
the eastern sector, for the 18th sue
cessive day-longer than it was
stopped either at Ell Alamein in
Egypt, when it took up the often
sive or at the Mareth line in
Tunisia.
Announcement of the fall of
Cefalu came at least 36 hours late
and, while there were no more
official reports on progress, it was
plain that the heaviest American
forces were being drawn up for an,
allout blow along the north coast.
The Germans still were getting in
reinforcements and it was disclosed
that the bulk of two Italian field
divisions" had escaped into the
bridgehead from the west. This
appeared to trim down previous Of
fetal estimates that 10000 Axis
soldiers had been trapped since the
start of the campaign. Over 10000
was the last official count of pris-
onerS.
Front dispatches said the mans
were completely in charge of the
strong Etna line running from San
Stefano to Niccsia, Aoira, Catena-
nuova to the Dittaino River and had
put Italian survivors of two field
divisions which escaped the Amer
lean encirclement of Western Sicily
to digging trenches and preparing
road blocks.
The same report. however. said
that political developments do not
appear yet to have interfered with
the German habit of sandwiching
Italians in at the firing line"
1t is believed that only a small
number of Italians actually con-
tinued as combat troops.
Airfield North of Naples Bombed.
The Canadians, driving northeast
through difficult country, were meet
ing strong opposition and engaged
in bitter fighting, todays commune
que declared.
More prisoners have been taken,
1T added, without specifying the
number.
The British at the outskirts of Ca
tanla sent patrols exploring the
German line. but there was no sign
when Gen. Sir Bernard l.. Mont
gomery might launch a powerful
new offensive.
olo I,
coast obviously was mounting
against newly established German
positions.
Flying Fortresses again spearhead-
ed the steady Allied air offensive
against Southeastern Italy and Sic
lily, bombing Capua Airfeld north
OF Naples for the first time and de-
stroying three of Is to 20 enemy in
terceptors.
Air Base on Toe of Italy Hit.
Scalea Air1eld on the toe of Italy
was smashed by American MitcheliS
and Marauders escorted by Light
nings.
Oft bombed Capodichino Airdrome
near Naples sprouted huge fires the
preceding night when Raj yelling
tens delivered heavy attack. Re-
turning airmen saw explosions 20
miles from the target
RAF Liberators and Halifaxes
from the Middle East pounded the
airfeld at Reggie Calabria on the
toe of the Italian boot Monday
might and Tuesday morning in an
other blow to knock out Axis air
power. Beaufighters also struck at
Axis shipping in the Aegean Sea.
Both operations were completed
without loss to Allied planes.
Both RAF and Canadian yelling
tons bludgeoned Monte Corvina
Ravella Airdrome in Southern Italy
by night, setting buildings aflre.
New targets in the railroad yards
at Lioni and Calitri were added to
the Fortresses record of superlative
destruction. 1t was over Lioni that
Is to 20 enemy fighters attacked.
Two Messerchmitts and one Focke
Wulf were shot down.
80 Per Cent of Field Covered.
Mitchell and Marauder crewmen
said their bomb patterns covered 80
per cent of the field at Scalea.
starting fires and subsequent eX-
plosions, and photographs indicated
at least 20 grounded aircraft were
destroyed. No enemy fighters or
anti-aircraft fire were encountered.
With the German defenders of
the Messina bridgehead strongly
entrenched on the northeastern
mountain line, Allied warplanes con-
tinued to support ground forces
with scourging attacks on front and
rear enemy bases.
Raj Bostons and Baltimores
made nine separate attacks on
Milazzo, 20 miles west of Messina,
through which the Germans still are
setting reinforcements from the
m>Spland. Bomb bursts covered
rahs>yds, docks, installations, water
- Iloa -edings and quays. The Raj
. aoa ,1, t t~,o suffered no loss. and
st,'' ed during S N aircraft were sight
y" operations.