Imperial Valley press., 1943-08-05

by which the enemy can circle west
of Mount Etna, were reported fight
ing in the most difficult terrain,
The enemy had laid heavy mine
fields in their paths and moved up
mobile guns, as we'll as elements of
the 18th panzer division.
The Allied forces are compelled
to attack uphill at almost every
point against hidden gun emplace-
ments. often Gug deeply into the
rocks.
The doom of Catania had been
sealed by the capture of Centuripe
which gave the Allies high ground
from which to blast ahead.
SMASH TANK
Despite a desperate enemy rear
guard action. the British broke
through to Catania from the south
while the 18th division attacked
from the northwest and Canadians
smashed into the enemy western
flank. Many prisoners were taken
and many others appeared to be
trapped as the Allied offensive
neared the road and railroad bottle
neck at Adrano, only eight miles
north of Palermo.
The British 9th army under Gen.
Sir Bernard l.. Montgomery crashed
into Sicilys second city at $3.50 a.
m. after the sun-browned North
umbrians of the 50th division, (who
cracked the Mareth line in Tuni-
sia-, the 5lst Highlanders, and the
veterans of the 18th division twho
fought at Dunkirk- had slgged their
way through the strongest enemy
defenses on the island.
On London, observers suggested
that all organized resistance in
Sicily might be overwhelmed in
three days. The German RADIO said
Catania had been evacuated in 1.-The
most successful maneuvers' get
carried out in Sicily ito mislead
the enemy" The Nazi's broadcast
said the Germans had retired to
much stronger line behind Cata-
nia.-
While increasing Allied aerial at
saults swept over Sicilys roads
and rocked the mainland port OF
Naples for the forth time in four
DAYS, the Americans and Canadians
supported the drive into Catania
by steady advances against the
crumbling Axis line extending from
Mount Etna to tie Caronia sector
on the north coast.
American and British warships
supported land forces by lombard
ing northern and eastern coastal
roads over which the enemy must
retire if he can escape threatened
entrapment, especially in the
Mount Etna sector.
BEST UNITS BEATEN
The best Axis troops, including
remnants of the reformed 9Th army
which was liquidated at Stalingrad, d,
the Hermann Goering armored di-
vision. the 18th Panzer division, the
29th Motorized division and units
of paratroops who were sworn to
fight to the death vainly attempted
to check the Allied advance.
The Axis had committed a large
part of it's best forces to holding
the Catania anchor at the South
ern end of the defense line and 1t
was believed they may now be trap
ped by the Allied advance from the
west and steady aerial lombard
ment of the narrow east coast
mountain roads. The vital i'm
portance of Catania was illustrated
by the large number of mobile guns
Hedgehog defense positions, mine
fields and troops thrown into the
battle by the enemy.
The 9th army, which had met Its
stiffest resistance on the Catanis
plain, crossed the Dittaino rivel
and closed in on Catania, an an,
nouncement at 1902 p. m. said
Four minutes later came the flasf
to headquarters: "Catania wa
captured at $3.50 a. m. today"
The port of Cantania was not a!
badly damaged as other ports il
Sicily such as Palermo and Trapani
although several sunken ships wer'
in the harbor.
Allied fighters and fighter bomb
ers destroyed so enemy trucks anC
other vehicles in behind-the-l Line
attacks yesterday to facilitate th'
ground advance. Eighty other We
| hicleS were damaged.