The New York Times (July 10, 1943)
ALLIED TROOPS START INVASION OF SICILY; NAVAL ESCORTS BOMBARD SHORE DEFENSES; LANDING PRECEDED BY SEVERE AIR ATTACK
Several landings; U.S., British and Canadian troops carry out the attack
A ‘liberation’ start; but Eisenhower urges French be calm till their hour strikes
By Drew Middleton
Island of Sicily is invaded by Allied forces
Gen. Eisenhower announced that his troops had debarked at various points on Sicily early today. The landings were preceded by furious air assaults and warships accompanying the transports shelled the coastal defenses. Troops got ashore at the western tip of the island (cross), according to the Algiers radio. Strong forces of tanks were reported being used. The invasion had been preceded by heavy bombings of a variety of targets (bomb devices).
Allied HQ, North Africa –
Allied infantry landed at a number of places on the rocky Sicilian coast under a canopy of naval gunfire early this morning as the long-awaited invasion began.
Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, Allied Commander-in-Chief, speaking to the people of Metropolitan France, called the attack “the first page in the liberation of the European continent,” and promised “there will be others.”
Allied headquarters announced the invasion in the following communiqué:
Allied forces under command of Gen. Eisenhower began landing operations on Sicily early this morning. The landings were preceded by Allied air attack. Allied naval forces escorted the assault forces and bombarded the coast defenses during the assault.
The Algiers radio, in an English-language broadcast to North America at 12:40 a.m. today, said that Allied forces had landed on the rocky western tip of Sicily, 260 miles from Rome. The broadcast was recorded by U.S. government monitors.
The broadcast said the landings were made in good weather, with German and Italian Air Forces providing “fierce” opposition. In anticipation of the assault, the island’s Italian-German defenders blew up harbor installations, the broadcast said.
‘Softened up’ by air attack
A heavy attack was carried out by planes of the Northwest African Air Force and the Middle East Air Command for nearly two weeks, reaching blitz proportions in the last week, when a round-the-clock assault blasted Axis air bases and communication centers with hundreds of tons of bombs. This came to a furious climax yesterday and last night.
The Allied naval force that escorted the invading troops pounded the formidable defenses of Sicily with salvos of shells while infantrymen, their bayonets twinkling in the starlight raced ashore from landing crafts. Many tanks were landed.
Sicily, largest island in the Mediterranean, has a population of just under 4,000,000 persons and has been strongly fortified, specially along the southern coast, since 1939. The coasts are heavily mined and beaches are covered by batteries of artillery that fire from hills.
French urged to be calm
Gen. Eisenhower’s announcement to the French people, which was sent by radio, asked them to remain calm and not to expose themselves to reprisals through “present rash actions.”
Many of the troops involved in the invasion of Sicily are veterans of the Tunisian campaign.
Military men here expect very heavy fighting. The Germans are known to have reinforced the island comparatively recently, and despite the prolonged aerial bombardment, strong fortifications remain to be overcome.
Many military objectives were hit by U.S. and British bombers during the two weeks’ attack on the island. The main weight of the bombing at night was directed against the airfields, particularly at the one at Gerbini, which was attacked day and night.
News of the landing was given out at a press conference at Allied Force Headquarters. The aerial bombardment was most intense in the closing stages of the operation and was coordinated with a naval attack on the outer defenses of the island. This continued while Allied fleets steamed to the shores. Thousands of explosives were poured on the pillboxes that form the islands first line of defense.
Washington gets word
Washington –
First intimation that an important military announcement was impending came shortly after 11 o’clock last night, when press relations officers of the War Department telephoned newspapermen to expect a statement at 11:55 p.m.
However, it was several minutes after midnight when a high-ranking officer of the Army handed out the brief communiqué from Gen. Eisenhower announcing the invasion of Sicily.
There was no indication at the War Department exactly where the landings took place, but a military spokesman said that there must have been landings at many places. Principal objectives in the campaign, of course, would be Palermo, with its splendid harbor on the north of the island, and Messina, across the narrow strait from Italy.
It was indicated that the landings were made under cover of a fierce air and naval bombardment.
There was no indication as to the size of the amphibious forces which dashed ashore on Sicily this morning. However, there was some information of the strength of the island’s defenders.
It was estimated that there were 11-13 enemy divisions there, of which 9-10 were Italian and 2-3 were German.
That the conquest of Sicily will be no simple task was seen in the size of these defending forces and in the rugged terrain of the island.
However, in the aerial pounding which has taken place since the successful conclusion of the Tunisian campaign, Sicily’s defenses have undoubtedly been considerably softened, particularly her airports.
