Evening star., 1943-08-13

Goering, the 18th Armored and
the 10Th Motorized Divisions
apparently might get away.
(Mr. Munro said that the
northeastern tip of Sicily 'is GER
tainly no Cap Bon,' that narrow
ness Of the strait, heavy antiair-
| craft concentrations and the wide
dispersion Of the troops on the
beaches were in the enemys
| favor.)
The Americans ripped off the g.
mile gain on the north coast. occu-
pying Cape Orlando, Naso and Broio,
while American warships steamed
ahead and wrecked enemy railway
and highway communications as far
east as Marina di Patti, % miles due
west of Messina.
The veteran British 50th North
umbrian Division crashed through 4
miles on the east coast just below
Taormina after British naval guns
had raked the enemy's positions at
Cape Ali, which Is on Messina Strait
between Taormina and Messina.
OF the campaign total of more
than 10000 prisoners, about 100000
were taken by the American 7th
Army.
Picture Appears Bright.
With enemy resistance at Ran
dazzo obviously in its last hours and
the sea-girt German flanks crum-
bling rapidly, the overall picture ap-
peared bright with the promise of
swift and final conquest of the re-
naming fragment Of Sicily.
Incessant Allied attacks ground
down the rear German troops, who
have been fighting without relief
one of the fiercest rear guard ac-
tions of the Mediterranean war.
The fall of Cape Orlando and
Naso gave the Americans control of
the lateral road running south to
Randa2ao and reduced escape routes
Of the Germans at Randazzo to one
the highway eastward. The Brit
ish advance up the east coast was
an growing threat of complete
entrapment of this Nazi force.
Development of small arms fire
about Randazzo indicated that
American and British forces were
closing their trap from three sides,
north, west and south.
A field dispatch filed by Joseph
Morton, Associated Press corre-
spondent, from an advanced Ameri-
can air base in Sicily said the AL
lies bomb-safety line was shifted
late yesterday to a point east of
RandazZo.
Town Blown to Pieces.
Thus ended the aerial attacks by
American and British flyers, who
have blown the town to pieces with
loads Of explosives totaling more
than 200 tons in the last seven days.
The bomb-safety line, denoted on
terrain maps, protects Allied ground
troops from accidental lombard
ment by friendly planes.
An Allied officer expressed doubt
that the enemy evacuation of Sicily
had yet reached the full scale" but
said the Allied air force and war
ships seeking to halt the traffic had
an extremely difficult task.
There is virtually no organized
resistance by Italian troops remain
ing in Sicily One Italian detach-
ment surrendered voluntarily yes
terday, pleading lack of transport
TO escape.
Although wedding out their re-
serves and sending them toward
Italy, the Germans have managed
to keep their line intact. In one
weeks fighting the front has been
/ trimmed from As miles in length to
80 miles.
The Germans need fewer men for
| the shortened line and are con-
centrating their machine guns and
mine-laying operations on the fewer
approaches to their positions
The Germans undoubtedly are
! growing weaker, but at the same
time the terrain is becoming even
more treacherous and difficult for
our advancing forces" said a COM
petent source.
The 7th Army was expected to
! maintain its coastal rush The Ger
mans had no tenable natural de-
| tense line in that sector north of
Marina di Patti.
Allied planes swarming over the
MesSlna Strait were taking a heavy
toll Of the evacuation barges and
their occupants despite the heavy
antiaircraft fire, headquarters said.
The British 9th Army reached
the village of Trearchirafi, on the
east coast three miles south of
Riposto, and is threatening Giarre,
the communicate said
Northwest of Mount Etna. after
bitter fighting north of Bronte, the
9Th Army succeeded in making an
advance towards Maletto in CO.
operation with the 7th Army troops.
who are now four miles from Ran
dazzo on the Cesaro road" the
bulletin said. American mobile
forces covering the left of this ad-
vance on RandazZo made consider
able progress across the mountain
today"
The position of these mobile
forces was not defined, but advices
from the front yesterday indicated
some American ground forces were
then within 2 miles OF Randazzo.
Series of Blows From Sea-
Great naval activity In support
OF the armies still continues on the
north and east coasts of Sicily" a
naval bulletin announced, and it
told of series of blows from the
sea at German trafic routes and
troop positions during the week.
tThe italian high command, In
communique broadcast from