Evening star., 1943-07-10
Axis Force in Sicily
Estimated in London
AT 100000 Troops
BY the Associated rreSs.

BY the Associated rress.
LONDON, July 10.-Gen. Dwight
D. Eisenhower has thrown into the
invasion of Sicily formidable force
evenly divided between battle-tried
American and British units with a
hard hitting Canadian force moved
in since the battle of North Africa
ended
There were no Allied estimates on
the numbers but London sources
estimated the Axis forces on Sicily
as totaling up to 100000 men.
Berlin reports received via Switz-
erland gagged Allied strength in
the Mediterranean at 1000 planes,
$500 OF them in the western central
sector, "a considerably strength
ened feet" and A infantry divisions
and Is to 20 armored divisions.
In addition, these reports said,
there were parachute troops of two
air divisions. smaller armored groups
and two Polish and assorted Czech.
Yueoslav and Greek units.
80 Divisions Thought Engaged.
Berlin, according to these advices.
believed the Allies would use half
of their available troops for in
Vasion while the others must be
left for strong occupation forces in
North Africa and the Near East"
Thus if half the Allied forces the
Nazis said they considered available
now were in use against Sicily, at
least 80 divisions-involving perhaps
100000 men-have been thrown into
the invasion, together with 2,0OC
planes and heavy naval support.
There was no official comment
here but the following are among
the impressions emerging from
round of talks with military men in
London:
There is no indication of strong
reinforcements of German land
forces in Sicily and the Nazis may
not make any great fight short of
Northern Italy. However, the Ital-
ians are in Sicily and Southern Italy
in considerable strength and may
fight hard.
Invasion Long Planned.
The invasion started on a sched-
ule worked out weeks ago and was
not moved up by the fresh outbreak
Of fighting in Soviet Russia.
United States units which were
announced as having fought in Tu-
nlSla-the lSt, 9th and 34th Infantry
Divisions and the 1st Armored-may
possibly be assumed to be taking
part in the offensive with the proba-
bility that additional strength, in
Guiding air-bornes and parachute
force, is available if needed.
So far, according to these impress
sions, it does not appear that the
bulk of the American 5th Army, the
British 9th Army or French forces
are being called upon-So they re-
main, along with the British 9Th and
10th Armies, as major menaces. to
other Mediterranean points.
1t was assumed that the U. S. Navy |
participated much more fully in the |
attack than it did in the latter stages |
of the TuniSian campaign where |!
the work at sea was done almost !
entirely by the British.
Amphibious units trained extern /
sively along the American East Coast !
were believed according to these i'm
pressionS, to be substantial part of |
the American naval contribution.
Concentrate on Air Bases. i
1t was considered noteworthy that
the Allied aerial bombardment
seemed to follow a pattern of con-
centration on airfields and commu-
ications-rather than on a small
area of the coast in an effort to
demoralize the defenses at that par
ticular spot to bring about an un-
opposed landing such as at Pantel-
leria.
1t was widely suggested after the
unique victory over Pantelleria that
there was the pattern for future at
tacks, with bombs making an
island" of any selected strip Of
coast
Most military men, however,
seemed TO regard this as impracti-
cal against large island or conti-
nent because there would be no way
to prevent swift reinforcement of
the bombarded area when the at
tack came
Naval Strength Adequate.
The Italian Navy which so far has
avoided major battle test is built
around three modern battleships of
the Littorio class last reported at
La SpeZia and four old but rebuilt !
and reasonably efficient battlesnipS
OF the Cavour class based somewhere