The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-08-16
1ousands Of Allied Troops Hit
Mediterranean Coast OF France
In Move To Join Normandy Force
NAZI DEFENDERS
QUICKLY ROUTED
Invaders M a k e Landings
On 125 Mile Front
In Toulon Area

ROME, Aug. Is. - R) -
Thousands of Allied troops,
Americans an d
French, swarmed onto the
south coast of France on a
broad front between Marseille
and Nice today, seized and
extended firm beachheads
against inconsequential Ger
man opposition, and drove
northward with the avowed
intention Of joining the AL
lies in northwestern France.
An Allied communicate at 1O:40
pm, said American and French
troops before dawn took the Sem
tinel islands of Port eros and Lee
want, 10 miles off the coast, and
seized Cap Negro, on the mainland
due north of the islands and %
miles east of Toulon.
Other specific locations were rot
given, the beaches being placed
merely in the 125 mile strip Of
coast between Marseille and Nice.
Ghe Germans said the focal point
of the Allied invasion was at St.
Raphael, 80 miles northeast up the
coast from Cap Negro, and also
said there were landings west of
Toulon and at Bormes, Is miles
east of that onetime naval base.
American airmen who flew over
the beaches late in the day said
there was no sign of any concerted
enemy opposition and that Ameri-
can vehicles were running all over
the countrys de-"
The official night statement said,
"On the beaches of the mainland,
where landings were successful
against light opposition, the opera
ton is proceeding satisfactorily"
adding that, Substantial numbers
of Allied troops, together with guns,
munitions and supplies, had been
landed across the beaches of south
ern France by dark this evening.
1.-THE beachhead has been ex-
tended and widened during the
days operation.
Enemy opposition remains spo-
radio, and no enemy air attacks
have yet been reported"
Word from the beaches indicat-
ed that German prisoners taken in
sporadic, light fighting showed al
most total decentralization, prinar-
lily as a result of the American
breakthrough in northwestern
France, which they realized meant
that the fatherland' downfall was
near.
One dispatch from correspon-
dent in the field said that by after.
noon the invaders were well into
southern France and going ahead
fast against Germans who we're
caught entirely by surprise. Allied
casualties were reported to have
been slight.
Thousands of Allied parachutists
and airborne troopers landed we'll
inland at 4:30 am, also against
scanty opposit; on, following the inn
portant opening blow against the
offshore islands. A picked force
had neutralized the islands big
guns silently to pave the way -
the tactical surprise of the MAJ
seaborne landings which followed.
Backed by more than 300 war
ships of all sorts the greatest
naval force ever assembled in the
| Mediterranean the first seaporne
troops went ashore in broad day
light at 7:30 am. Q:30 am, EWT)
at several I'm Identified points be-
tween Marseille and Nice-a 1875
mile stretch of Rocky coast.
'"The army of France is in being
again, fighting on its own SOIL"
said a proclamation by Gen. Sir
Henry Maitland Wilson, the Allied
commander in chief Distributed by
plane, his proclamation told the
French the primary aim of the
new invasion was ito drive out the
Germans and join up with the Al
lied armies advancing from Nor
mandy" to form a solid front
across France.
Heavy aerial bombardment pre-
ceded the invasion in a final in
stallment of the aerial softeAing.
up process that had been in pro-
gress for three days.
The air forces announced that
Continued on Page Three; Col. q