The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-06-11

The eight-mile long island, 6a miles from Sicily, surrendered by raising a white flag and putting 2 large white cross on the airf1eld al 11:4O a. m. and Allied troops began occupying it on the 20th consecutive day of attack from the air, supple. mented by six British naval bom- bardments.
 A total of 15.000 OOO to 17,000,00o pounds of bombs was dropped on the 32-mile- square island of Pantelleris in the last 13 days of intensive at- tack. On Thursday a total of 3s Axis planes was shot down and the Allied ratio of planes lost was about one to Is in the last phase of tho offensive.
 In the final phase of attack start ing at dawn Thursday the greatest load of bombs ever dropped on such an area was looSed by many hun dreds of Allied planes of all types which were over the target in such numbers that they had to "stooge around" in circles awaiting their turn to dump high explosives.
 Only once during the period from dawn Thursday until darkness was there a lull when a heavy thunder storm momentarily halted opera tionS, which ended with smashing triumph for the theories of Lieu tenant General Carl A. Spaatz, American deputy commander of Allied Air Forces in North Africa, and his superior, Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur w. Tedder of the RAF.
 20-Day Fight
 The equalization of the first step ping store on the invasion route to southern Europe came after a period of 20 days in which the island had been attacked each day and after period of 13 days of major offensive in which it had been plastered in an all out drive by the Allied Air Force - largely American planes and Shelled by the British Navy. Twice the garrison refused demands for unconditional surrender, the second rejection coming Thursday night.
 Forty-nine Axis airplanes were shot down in the last two days of the offensive against Pantellerla, compared to a total loss of seven for the Allies in the whole Mediter- ranean theater.
 A special comnunique from the headquarters from the headquarters of General Dwight D. Eisenhower announced the surrender of the Pantelleria garrison, which was estimated at perhaps 5000 gunners, air force and other personnel.
 Gn London, experts said that the capture of the island should not be over estimated from a strategic viewpoint since 1t was mainly tor pedo boat or submarine base and had same nuisance value as an air base. but it was regarded as highly significant in other ways because it was the first Allied entry on to Italian soil)
 Surrender of Pantelleria gave the Allies an airdrome and a naval base only 60 miles southwest of Sicily and an equal distnace east of Cape Bon, Tunisia.
 Sudden Announcement
 The announcement of Pantellerias s fall came with dramatic suddenness less than an hour after the days regular operational communique merely had reported continued heavy attacks on the island throughout yesterday and the previous night.
 The Island If Pantelleria today and is being occupied by Allied forces" the special com said
 This surrender is the result of a period of continuous and intense air bombardment, supported by naval bombardment.
 1.-Two previous offers of surrender made to the commander were ig- 
 Radio Morocco reported that British commandos had made new raid on Lampedusa, 90 miles below A reconnaissance party of British commandos landed on Lampedusa Sunday and re-embarked with a loss of only two of the
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