Evening star., 1943-09-03
Invasion
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said the veterans of Gen. Sir Ber-
nard L. Montgomery's 9th Army
were engaged in heavy fighting.
An italian headquarters COM
munique said the Allies had begun
operations against the Calabrian
coast, on the toe of the italian boot,
"on a vast SCALE" and an interna-
tional German broadcast told of the
invasion, asserting that it came as
no surprise.
Dispatches from headquarters of
Gen. Eisenhower, who is in su-
preme command of the opera
tlons, said it was emphasized there
that the attack was not to be re-
garded as a second front" but
rather as a continuation of the
North African and Sicilian cam
paigns.
No Report of Repulse.
There was no report of any
invasion spearhead having been
thrown back after the first land
ings, which came at 4:30 am. u0:30
pm. Thursday, Eastern war time).
Allied forces under the command
of Gen. Eisenhower have continued
their advance" said a bulletin from
Allied headquarters.
The initial attack apparently
struck in the vicinity of Reggie
Calabria, bomb battered ferry ter
minus. Reggie Calabria is city
of about $4,000 population.
Just before the attack Gen. Eisen-
hover flew to SICILY for a final
checkup with Gen. Montgomery and
Gen. Sir Harold L. Alexander.
Future Allied assaults might be
centereo: At Sardinia and Cor
sica, stepping stones to Southern
France and the Rhone Valley in
vasion path to the heart of the
Continent: at Crete, in the Eastern
Mediterranean, or the Allies might
turn the southern end of Italy into
base for trans -Adriatic drive
into the Balkans.
Planes Provide Cover.
Dispatches said an armada of
many hundreds" of troop jammed
ships and barges made up the at
tacking force. AS they sped across
| the narrow Messina Strait, Allied
| long-range guns on the Sicilian
coast laid down a terrific barrage in
Axis defenses. Warships bombarded
the beaches, blowing up barbeG.-wire
entanglements and machine-gu
posts, and great swarm of Amer
ican and RAF warplanes formed a
protective cover overhead.
In an witness account of the
landing operations an American
bomber pilot declared:
I'VE saw colossal explosions ano
watched what appeared to be a great
artillery duel near the Strait OF
Messina."
The italian communique implied
that the attack had gained at least
preliminary success, announcing
tersely:
Last night the enemy, who in the
past had attempted isolated land
ings, which were then promptly re-
pulsed, began operations against the
Calabrian coast facing Messina"
1t made no mention of the new
full-dress landings having been re-
pulsed.
10 Days After SiciIy's Fall.
The invasion, the first time the
Allies have set foot on European
mainland soil in great force since
the retreat from Greece in April
1871, came just l9 days after the
end of the Sicilian campaign and or
the fourth anniversary of the day
Great Britain declared war on Ger
many.
First announcement of the inva-
sion came from Allied headquar-
ters shortly after 7 am. today q
am, Eastern wartime.
AS the assault developed the AL.
lied-controlled Algiers radio broad
cast special appeals to the Italian
people to welcome the Allies "as
hberators in the same fashion theil
forefathers welcomed Garibaldi"
The broadcast continued:
italians, forces of the United
Nations are filtering into the So
called European fortress. Italians
remember the words of Mr.. Church.
Ill when he told you Italy Is paying
terrible price for the Germans
war. Italy is becoming a battle.
field.
Out with the Germans!"
The invasion came after intense
air bombardment of Southern Italy
attacks which almost without ex
ception were aimed at railway ant
other communication facilities t,