Evening star., 1943-08-07
Americans Take
Stronghold in
Central Sicily
Allied Forces Also
Make Advances
On Other Sectors
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN
NORTH AFRICA, Aug. Amer
lean 1st Division troops have
stormed and captured the vital
fortress town of Tro-
ina in Central Sicily, and Allied
forces advanced on other sectors,
Allied headquarters announced
today.
A field dispatch reported that
Italian soldiers in Biancavilla, Is
miles northwest of Catania and 2
miles south of Adrano, raised white
flags and surrendered yesterday to
British 9th Army units after a heavy
air raid.
A total of 125.000 Axis prisoners
have been captured, it was also dis
closed.
THE German line Is now disjoint-
ed" by seizure of Troina guarding
the escape hatch west of Mount
Etna, 1t was announced. American
units inflicted heavy casualties on
German elite troops defending the
town in some of the most savage
fighting OF the entire campaign.
American naval forces occupied
the island of Ustica, 40 miles north
OF Palermo, and Allied bombers
shattered Messina In their heaviest
attack, devastating this last Sicilian
escape port. Allied planes also ham,
mered Naples in a new raid. British
warships again pounded the east
coastal road of withdrawal near
Taormipa.
The fall of Troina threatened to
prevent junction of the German
18th Armored Division and Her.
mann Goering Division in their re-
treat toward Messina.
(Field reports Tuesday had
said Troina was taken, but the
Americans had been able only to
win toeholds near the town In the
face of the stern German opposi-
tion)
Front Now As Miles Wide.
The Sicilian front now Is only As
miles wide.
The British 9Th Army advanced
in all sectors, threatening the COM
munications town of Adrano, Il
miles southeast of Troina on the
main road skirting Mount Etna.
The Germans demolished nine
bridges and a 12-mile stretch of
road as they fell back before the
British.
The 1st Division of Maj. Gen.
Terry Allen yesterday smashed the
formidable defenses Of Troina. on
the central sector 20 miles inland
from the north coast.
The Germans, apparently using
Troina as shield to cover with
drawal of their forces from the
south and central sectors around
Mount Etna. staged one of their
bitterest defenses there. Gen. AL
lens troops had to storm up sheer.
rocky hills and mountain sides
against savage fire from all types of
Nazi weapons.
Its fall opened the way for an
attack on the flank of the German
troops believed to be pulling out to
establish new defense line to the
northeast of Mount Etna.
The inhabitants of Troina ex-
pressed great indignation against
the Germans.
No Italian troops were reported
fighting anywhere on the Sicilian
front.
Roads Pounded Heavily.
The powerful sledgehammer drives
by the Americans and British again
cracked the dwindling bridgehead
still held by the enemy and with
the Allied air force pounding enemy
roads and beaches by day and night,
the Germans were in precarious
position.
Large concentrations of American
artillery of all sizes, crashing a
moving barrage over the enemy's
Troina stronghold for three days in
succession, finally knocked out the
German defenders.
With many detachments of the
depleted German 29th motorized
division staying at their machinegun
and mortar nests to the last. the
enemy suffered an exceedingly high
ratio of dead and wounded under
the Americans round the clock
drive.
The Sicilian front on July 20 was
ITS miles wide. Today it's narrow
width of As miles enabled the en-
ployment of tremendous firepower
and air power by the Allies.
Troina was the hardest-fought
piece of Sicilian gorund to be cap
tured by the Americans.
May Cut OFF Forces.
If the American forces now smash
ing forward toward the east coast
against the worse than decimated
German survivors can reach RAN
dazzo shortly, a large share of Axis
(See SICILY, Page A-3J