Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-07-14
Warships Bombard
Catania Airport as
Troops Near Plains ;
Continued From First Page,

by British troops early To-Day.
The communique confirmed the
capture of Ragusa, inland COM
munications center, and said the
capture of Augusta, whose harbor
and installations were undamaged
was materially aided by timely and
accurate bombardment from the sea
An Allied motor boat fiotilla also
successfully penetrated Messina
Strait itself, the water neck between
Sicily and the mainland, and en-
gagged two enemy motor torpedo
boats, setting them ablaze and driv-
ing them ashore. A third enemy
tornedo boat escaped, however.
Nome thousands" of prisoners
have been captured, it was an
nounced, and the 206th Italian Di-
vision has been almost entirely
eliminated in the fighting. The cap
ture Of this divisions commander,
Gen. d'Avet, was announced yester-
day, and today's communique said
his entire headquarters had been
captured as we'll.
Continuous Reinforcements.
Bolstered by a continuous stream
Of reserves, Allied troops have sue
ceeded in pushing into the noun
tains of Southeastern Sicily and are
engaged in fierce fighting" all
along the semicircular Licata-
Augusta front, official Axis sources
reported.
The German communique, broad
cast by the Berlin radio and re-
corded by the Associated Press, said
German and italian troops are still
engaged in heavy fighting against
landed enemy troops. which are try
ing to attack our positions in
the mountains and south of
Catania."
The German Transocean news
agency said fierce fighting had de-
veloped in the mountains against
Allied parachutists and airborne
troops newly landed there. Para
chute troops landed near Catania,
midway up the east coast, have been
wiped out, the news agency claimed
Possess Coastal Area.
The Italian communique admitted
that American, British and
Canadian troops have been con-
tinuously reinforced since their
landings and are now in firm pos
session of the entire coast stretch
ing from the Augusta naval base
on the east to Licata on the west
ern end Of the salient.
The Berlin radio denied its own
earlier reports that all Allied para
chute and air-borne troops landed
in the interior had been rounded up
by its acknowledgement that hard
fighting was in progress in the
mountains.
Allied shock troops driving up
from the coast are approaching
these hard-fighting parachute
troops, the broadcast said One
commentator said the heaviest
German tanks available we're being
rolled into the breaches in their
lines in an effort to halt the spread
ing Allied foothold.
The Algiers radio in previous
broadcast said Allied parachute
troops participated in yesterdays
capture Of the Ragusa airdrome.
No knowledge CT Landings.
Meanwhile, it was authoritatively
stated in London that there was no
knowledge there Of new British land
inrs near Catania as reported in
Allied headquarters dispatches yes
terday.
An observer added that the British
9th Army probably was debouching
onto the Catania Plain from the
south now, and there seems no rea-
son to assume the risks OF landings
in that area when one can walk
along the shore
London military sources said the
Allies confidence in making Sicil-
ian conquest was fully justified by
the advances of the first four days,
and there is no chance now that the
Allies can be pushed of the island.
There was much evidence, these
quarters said. that high degree OF
tactical surprise had been achieved
by the Allies and that the Axis
island defense forces had been dis
posed in the west and northeast of
the island in such fashion that they
were unable to prevent the invaders
from establishing deep bridgehead
In the southeast.
The disorganization of the en-
emy's communications and transport
hy air attacks on headquarters, rail
lines and motor conveys also was
believed major factor in keeping
the Axis from mounting strong
counterblows during the early stages.
Counterattack Minimized.
A British observer minimized the
importance of the enemy's first
counterattack which scored a tenn
porary success against the Ameri-
cans in the Celia area, saying that it
resulted in mo appreciate delay
and that Gen. Patton's forces were
now well in and moving ahead on
schedule"
There has been little mention OF
tank activity in dispatches from
Sicily thus far, although the Berlin
radio has reported the Germans
using Cotton Tigers in counterat-
tacks. Rough terrain and the alb
sence of roads in the areas already
traversed apparently account for the
Allied failure to make much use of
heavy equipment brought ashore.
There is little question in the
minds of observers that the Allies
will aim for a speedy knockout blow
by throwing their heaviest strength
at the Axis defenders as soon as the
time is propitious. Allied strategy
apparently calls for the cutting OF
the islands inner lines of commune
cation isolating the scattered gar
risons-
Air power has already cut the sea-
borne lines with the exception OF
the emile strait separating Messina
from the italian mainland and the
Allies believe that if the roads and
rails tanning out across the island
from Messina can be cut the island
fortress can be reduced in compare
lively short time.