Evening star., 1943-09-10
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ItNiy
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| ing for Albania, in the Bslkans.D
The new foothold apparently
blocked any German intention of
conducting fighting retreat the
length of the Italian peninsula on
the east side of the Apennines
Mountains.
Nothing was said officially of the
disposition of whatever Italian fleet
units were at the big naval base at
the time of 1taly's capitulation.
Can NBC broadcast from
Algiers said only immobilized
units of the feet were in Taranto,
the remainder apparently having
f1ed)
Nazis in Control Of Genoa.
A DNB broadcast from Berlin re-
ported that La Spezia, Italian naval
base in Northern Italy on the west
coast. also had been seized by Ger
man troops, as we'll as Genoa, Italys
great northern port The Germans
also said they had taken over pro-
lection of the French Riviera, for
merly garrisoned by Italians La
Spezia is rs miles southeast of
Genoa.
Unconfirmed reports to Bern from
Italy said Premier Badoglio might
retire and be replaced by Marshal
Pietro Caviglia, said to be negotiat-
ing with the Germans for their
movement north from Rome.
Other unconfirmed reports reach
ing Madrid from Switzerland said
British troops, under the protection
of United States naval forces, had
landed at La Spezia.
The United Nations radio at AL
giers, in a broadcast beamed to the
Italian people, urged them to strike
at German lines of communication
and declared, THE next seven days
will be decisive"
Rail Traffic Reported Halted.
Italian troops fleeing into neutral
Switzerland said large force OF
Italians encamped on the Italian
side of the Mont Gents railway
tunnel near Susa, 81 miles west of
Turin, were halting all incoming
German rail traffic from France.
An Algiers broadcast said bitter
street fighting was raging at sew
eral key points on the railway link
ing Milan and Genoa and Madrid
dispatches said fighting between
German and Italian troops was
erupting over a wide area from
French Savoy down the entire
length of the Pc Valley in Italy.
The British radio declared Venice,
Turin and Florence ARE now in
Italian hands after street fighting" 4"
and said fighting was in progress
| between Italians and Germans in
Haute Savoie, France and Albania,
with the Italians still holding Ia
rama, the Albanian capital.
In the Calabrian peninsula. the
British 9th Army has continued to
advance, Allied headquarters said,
and has captured Pizzo, on the
west coast of Calabia, 4 miles above
Who Valentia, where a British
amphibious force landed early
Wednesday.
In the Calabrian peninsula. the
British 9th Army has continued to
advance, Allied headquarters said,
and has captured Pizzo, on the west
coast of Calabia, 4 miles above
Vibo Valenua. where a British
amphibious force landed early
I Wednesday.
For the first time it was disclosed
that the naval forces Immediately
engaged in the landing operations at
Naples are under the command of
Vice Admiral Henry Hewitt of the
United States Navy. Both American
and British feet units are included
Before the thousands of assault
troops swarmed ashore at Naples,
mine sweepers passed back and forth
along the coast clearing out mines
laid off the beaches.
The work of loading ships and
other naval craft has continued
without intermission" ever since the
first landing forces hit the beach
at am. yesterday, it was an
nounced.
Italian Garrison Surrenders.
Ventotene Island, about two miles
long by mile wide, was taken early
| yesterday by divisional force
which landed there at about the
same time as the first shock troops
were going ashore in the Naples
! area.
/ The Italian garrison on the island
surrendered. the war bulletin said.
Despite German resistance, both
flanks of the British Sth Army in
the Calabrian Peninsula on Italy
toe advanced along the eastern and
western coastal roads. Heavy demo-
litions slowed up the advances to
some extent.
In taking Pizzo, the British and
Canadian forces in the south again
resorted to the "leap-frogging" tao
tics that have accounted for SO
many Allied advances along the
shores Of both Sicily and Italy.
This town was captured as the
result OF successful seaborne as
sault," the communique said.
More than keeping pace with the
west coast drive. the 9th Army col
umn on the east hast has smashed