Evening star., 1944-08-13
Mediterranean
Continued From First Page.)

Toulouse by United States bombers
shutting from Russian bases via
Italy on the way home to Britain.
Yesterdays big attack along the
coast by tactical units struck a Sec
ton of France whose communica-
Itions with the Rhone Valley already
were badly damaged by repeated
air raids.
For the first time medium Mitchell
and Marauder bombers, Thunder
bolts and RAF SpitfireS blazed away
.ovei a long stretch of Southern
France and for 40 miles of the neigh
boring Italian Riviera, singing out
targets of German defenses.
Mitchells in considerable strength
pounded gun positions near ST.
Tropez and st. Raphael, respectively
Is and 80 miles southwest of the
French port of Cannes. Explosions
and fires indicated ammunition
stores had gone up in smoke.
Without encountering flax or
fighter opposition, Marauder
bombed four gun batteries east of
the naval base of Toulon, including
one on lie du Levant.
SpitfireS, some roaring in no more
than 10 feet above the ground
strafed radio and gun positions at
Cap d'Antibes, St. Raphael. Cap
Benat and Cap Camarat, all be-
tween Marseille and Nice, caught
Germans running for their guns,
drove some back and killed others
Toulouse Area Blasted.
The American Fortresses, home
bound from Italian bases after
shutting from Britain to Russia,
struck an airfeld five miles south
west of Toulouse, London advices
said
The Fortresses had a round "trip
escort of Mustangs and returned to
Britain without loss of a man.
Todays raids by heavy bombers
were also spread out to coastal de-
fenSes of Northwest Italy, and while
some enemy fighters were eneoun-
tered, fax was light to moderate on
all operations and good results were
reported.
These developments came as
Rome became host to an increasing
number of high Allied officials.
Hugh R. Wilson, former United
States Ambassador to Germany, and
Admiral William H. STANDBY. for
mer United States ambassador to
Moscow, already were in Rome.
Comedies With Loire Crossing.
Members of the Patterson-Som
veil party were Col. V. H. Conors
of the War Department general
staff; 1t. Col. Leland S. MacPhail
assistant to Mr.. Patterson; 1t. Col
B. @. Vancott of the Army Ali
Force; Maj. Renato Francillo, Mr.
Patterson's aide, and Maj Edward
Martin, jr,, Gen. Somervell's aide.
Today aerial thrusts at Southern
France conceded conspicuously with
surprise American armored inva-
sion of the area south of the Loire
While the Loire crossing is 45O
miles to the northwest of the Medi-
terranean coast target area it is a
part of the same German defense
unit directed by Marshal Johannes
Won Blaskowitz.
Large and thinly garrisoned. this
region has been increasingly vul-
nerable since D-Day.
Nazi Troops Shifted NOrthward.
Only two DAYS ago it was disclosed
that two of the infantry divisions
which the Germans had rushed to
bolster the Normandy front were
from BlaskoWitz's Riviera defense.
Blaskowitz's forces are believed to
be far under half the 25-division
force given Marshal Erwin Rommel
to defend an area only a quarter as
big in Northwestern France.
For several days reports from
Spain have told of the Germans
streaming up from Southern France
The new aerial attack was direct
ed at point offering an avenue
into Europe past the western wing
of the Alps.
Formidable Array of Power.
The Mediterranean theater there
was the same formidable array OF
Allied power that set the stage for
the northern invasion-great depots
of soldiers and supplies, both in
Africa and Italy, dominance of sea
lanes and air supremacy.
The distances were greater than
those across the English Channel
But the Germans faced equally diff
ficult problems of defense, and in
view of their defeats in Northwest
ern France, their strategic possibil-
tiles were less.
The Germans, in broadcasts, ad-
mltted an aWareness that Church
Ills visit to Italy might have mill
tary as well as political signifi-
lroncer