Sogar London und Washington zu viel –
Was die Juden alles möchten!
…
La Stampa (July 13, 1943)
L’imponente sforzo anglo-americano e l’inizio della nostra decisa reazione
La preparazione dell’impresa a Gibilterra in Tunisia a Malta non era sfuggita alla nostra osservazione – La vastità dei mezzi impiegati – Le condizioni tattiche per la controffensiva
Nel nostro articolo del 27 giugno avevamo prospettato come l’attacco nemico – che per tanti segni si palesava ormai imminente – sarebbe stato sferrato contro la Sicilia. Facile profezia perché le nostre argomentazioni, pur svolte allora solo in base ad clementi logici e strategici, erano in realtà suffragate da validi dati di fatto.
L’attuale ciclo operativo ha origini assai lontane. Come concezione e impostazione di piani di guerra, si deve risalire almeno all’estate 1942 quando il nemico – sotto l’imperativo di continui rovesci militari e ben conscio che in Mediterraneo era e sarà sempre la chiave del conflitto – decise di puntare tutto il peso delle sue possibilità belliche sulla carta mediterranea, pur con l’inevitabile conseguenza di dover battere il passo e di sacrificare ogni apprezzabile iniziativa su tutti gli altri scacchieri di guerra.
La posta in giuoco
Concentrando in Mediterraneo non soltanto la massima parte, ma anche il fior fiore delle sue forze aeree, navali e terrestri, il nemico è riuscito, in tempi successivi, a realizzare quella prevalenza potenziale nei vari settori, necessaria per la graduale conquista del Mediterraneo, premessa indispensabile affinché le sorti della guerra potessero prendere una piega a lui favorevole. Ma come già accennammo in altra occasione, chiave di volta al dominio del Mediterraneo è il canale di Sicilia, per cui gli anglo-americani dovevano inevitabilmente affrontare, per realizzare i loro piani, il problema della conquista integrale di questo passaggio tentando la occupazione della Sicilia.
I preparativi nemici per tali operazioni sono pure stati di lunga durata, vista la complessità dell’operazione, la imponenza dei mezzi da impegnare e la quasi cronometrica successione e compenetrazione con cui in simili azioni devono agire i singoli elementi delle tre forze armate, pena le più gravi conseguenze in campo tattico; senza contare che il tentativo doveva rappresentare, nelle intenzioni avversarie, la prima stabile presa di terra nel continente europeo dopo il disastro di Dunkerque e il principio dell’apertura di quel «secondo fronte» sul quale sono corsi fiumi di inchiostro e di speranze.
Ma la mole stessa dei mezzi e delle forze da impegnare non poteva passare inosservata e infatti, prima ancora che finisse la campagna tunisina, la ricognizione aerea forni elementi sufficienti a dare la certezza che il nemico si stava preparando ad una futura grande operazione anfibia.
Successivamente si ebbero ripetute conferme della preparazione nemica che, sfruttando la favorevole situazione strategica, poteva essere agevolmente completata e disposta fuori del limite pratico delle nostre possibilità offensive nei lontani settori e porti dell’Algeria occidentale e del Marocco.
Il concentramento di forze
Negli ultimi mesi lo schieramento nemico si fece sempre più consistente finché nello scorso giugno raggiunse un livello tale de dare già da solo la certezza che l’operazione fosse ormai imminente. Non è ancora il caso né il momento di fare una valutazione delle forze che il nemico ha destinato all’azione, ma si può averne un’idea complessiva considerando che soltanto in fatto di forze navali sono concentrate in Mediterraneo e impiegate contro la Sicilia, sei corazzate (quattro delle quali da 35 mila tonnellate), quattro portaerei di squadra di recente costruzione, una trentina di incrociatori, qualche centinato di unità minori dei vari tipi e un imponente numero di mezzi da sbarco di ogni categoria; il tutto appoggiato da alcune migliaia di aerei.
Naturalmente quasi tutte le forze nemiche sono rimaste dislocate fino agli ultimi giorni nei settori più lontani della zona di impiego, principalmente all’estremo occidentale del Mediterraneo, anche per lasciarci, fin quando possibile, in dubbio se l’attacco sarebbe stato sferrato contro la Sardegna o contro la Sicilia. Ma i movimenti preliminari di una massa di mezzi tanto cospicua, non si possono compiere in ventiquattro ore, cosicché già a meta giugno, con lo spostamento delle forze nelle sedi operative, il nemico fu costretto a svelare – attraverso le nostre ricognizioni aeree – quale fosse il suo reale obbiettivo.
La gran massa delle forze infatti si trovava ormai dislocate nel settore tunisino orientale e a Malta, cioè in funzione di minaccia esclusiva contro la Sicilia. Negli ultimi giorni di giugno lo schieramento e i preparativi del nemico furono compiuti nei finali dettagli, per cui l’attacco si annuncio imminente. E’ nostra personale sensazione anzi, che l’attacco dovesse essere sferrato proprio a fine giugno, ma che qualcosa di imprecisabile non abbia funzionato bene negli ingranaggi anglo-americani cosi da costringere il nemico a ritardare l’azione di alcuni giorni.
Circostanze inevitabili
Poteva lo sbarco essere impedito? Solo circostanze particolarmente fortunate – che non si sono verificate – avrebbero forze potuto consentirlo. Occorre richiamarsi alla precisa definizione data dal Duce di «sbarco-penetrazione-invasione». Lo sbarco rappresenta sempre un’iniziativa del nemico, per cui pur atteso, pur essendo consentito prevedere in quali «zone» sarebbe probabilmente stato tentato, non era possibile, almeno nel caso della Sicilia, prevedere in quale «punto» il nemico avrebbe attaccato. Ne consegue che su un territorio cosi vasto come la Sicilia, con tante ampie zone costiere in cui lo sbarco avrebbe potuto verificarsi, con cosi particolare configurazione del terreno, in funzione della manovrabilità di masse di armati, era materialmente impossibile né rispondente ai canoni dell’arte militare concentrare in ogni «punto» tante forze da stroncare qualsiasi tentativo nemico. Il grosso delle forze difensive doveva necessariamente tenera in posizione più arretrate, pronto ad accorrere dopo che la manovra nemica si fosse delineata, per impegnarsi a fondo solo quando il piani nemico rivelatosi in pieno, desse un sufficiente margine di sicurezza di non aver più sorprese in altri settori. E’ ben compressibile dunque che il nemico sbarcando invece all’improvviso in qualche «punto» non precisabile, fino al momento stesso dell’azione in quel «punti» dovesse avere una tale prevalenza di forze rispetto al cordone di protezione costiera da rendere to sbarco inevitabile anche se strenuamente contrastato.
La seconda fase
Nemmeno sarebbe stato possibile intercettare i convogli nemici sui mare prima che giungessero alla metà, perché – come pure già accennammo – la situazione strategica navale era (ed è ancora) decisamente a favore del nemico: i convogli di sbarco infatti, come era prevedibile hanno attaccato la Sicilia partendo praticamente da Malta, perciò compiendo solo poche ore di navigazione notturna per traversare il breve tratto di mare fino alla costa siciliana, tempo assolutamente insufficiente a consentire l’intervento di nostre forze navali dalle basi in cui esse si trovano necessariamente dislocate. Era inevitabile quindi dover attendere il nemico a piè fermo sul nostro stesso suolo.
Tutto ciò è quanto in sostanza è accaduto nella giornata del 10 in cui il nemico, partito da Malta nella notte, all’alba è riuscito a prendere terra, sia pure a fronte di una violenta reazione (sono parole del bollettino anglosassone) in vari punti della fascia costiera. Ma già poche ore dopo il suo disegno era chiaramente individuato nel tentativo di «penetrare» (eccoci nella seconda fase) nelle zone racchiudenti i porti della costa orientale. Cosi già nel pomeriggio del 10 tutta la massa delle nostre forze difensive era in moto per arrestare il tentativo e già nella notte sull’11 pienamente impegnata.
Gli aventi debbono dunque essere guardati con serena fermezza e fiduciosa aspettazione perché se il nemico – come era stato previsto – ha potuto sbarcare, caso è già stato arrestato all’inizia stesso del tentativo di penetrazione. La lotta è certamente aspra, data l’imponenza delle forze impiegate dal nemico e l’importanza della posta in giuoco. Ma oggi si difende il suolo stesso della Patria e il nemico farà la dura esperienza di ciò che questo significhi per tutti gli italiani.
Marc’ Antonio Bragadin
Allied HQ, North Africa (July 13, 1943)
Communiqué
During the past 24 hours, great activity has continued odd and on all the beaches as reinforcements, vehicles and supplies were being landed by the Navy and sent forward. The surf has made this work difficult in some of the more exposed positions.
The port of Syracuse is now in our hands, with its port and harbor facilities apparently undamaged. There has been some bombing of shipping by aircraft.
Augusta was bombarded early in the afternoon of July 12 by a strong force of cruisers and a monitor. Minesweepers have swept the bridgehead to this port.
The naval operations, in which more than 3,000 shipping vessels and crafts of all types., warships and merchantmen, are taking part are proceeding satisfactorily.
Good progress has again been made today, and the bridgehead has now been increased in some places to 20 miles. In the eastern sector pour troops encountered some resistance in their advance along the coast. Inland, very good progress has been made.
Palazzolo has been occupied and our patrols have reached the outskirts of Ragusa.
In the western sector, the advance continues and an early counterattack has been successfully beaten off and a large number of prisoners were taken and some tanks destroyed.
Air Communiqué
Fighter-bombers throughout yesterday continued their heavy attacks on enemy troop columns and lines of communications and destroyed or damaged large numbers of enemy motor transports.
During the night of July 11-12, our bombers attacked Sicilian ports and the Montecorvino airfields in Italy. Heavy and concentrated attacks were made by heavy bombers against focal points at Messina, Reggio Calabria and San Giovanni. Medium, light and fighter-bombers attacked airfields and focal points of communications in Sicily.
Throughout the day, our fighters carried out sweeps over our shipping, the beaches and our advancing troops. Intermittent enemy attempts to interfere with our landings and shipping were intercepted and enemy aircraft of various types were destroyed or damaged.
During the course of attacks on enemy shipping in the Tyrrhenian Sea, two merchant vessels were sunk and two destroyers were left blazing.
22 enemy aircraft were destroyed during these operations and 11 of ours are missing.
Brooklyn Eagle (July 13, 1943)
Allies take Augusta, land near Catania
Sicilian naval base, 3 rail towns seized
The road to Rome
In a series of lightning moves, Allied forces captured the Italian naval base of Augusta and seized the railroad towns of Ragusa, Palazzolo and Floridia. Further north at Catania, British troops landed on the beach.
Allied HQ, North Africa (UP) –
Allied armed forces sweeping across southeastern Sicily have captured the vital Italian naval base of Augusta, pushed 25 miles inland to seize the railroad towns of Floridia, Palazzolo and Ragusa and landed British assault troops on the beaches near Catania.
The swift offensive blows of U.S., British and Canadian troops, backed by a spreading aerial assault and a naval bombardment of Augusta, extended the Allied base for drives northward toward Messina and north westward toward Caltanissetta despite renewed Axis counterattacks.
The expected major enemy counterblows had still failed to develop although resistance was stiffening and the Americans were engaged in hard fighting on the south coast.
Augusta was captured with slight losses, according to a headquarters announcement.
U.S. and British-Canadian forces made a junction at Ragusa following the capture of Floridia and Palazzolo, which lies 25 miles inland from the east coast bridgehead.
The capture of Augusta gave the Allies one of the finest naval bases in the Mediterranean, dominating the sea and land approaches to Catania and Messina, while the old walled town of Ragusa commands important roads and railroads in the southeast.
Radio Algiers estimated the Allies had occupied 310 square miles of territory in Ragusa and Augusta.
The harbor installations at Augusta were reported intact, indicating the Italians had not had time or inclination to Sicily prior to the capture of carry out a scorched earth policy.
The thrust to Palazzolo and Ragusa completed an Allied line across the southeastern tip of Sicily, probably trapping large number of Axis soldiers. The strategy indicated was to cut off the entire sector for use as a base from which land and air forces would strike northward toward Catania and northwestward toward Caltanissetta. It would also give the Allies elbow room for maneuvering against any major Axis counteroffensive, which may be delayed because of fear of new Allied landings at other points in Sicily.
General among captives
Gen. Achille d’Havet, commander of the Italian 206th Coastal Division, was captured along with many prisoners, in addition to around 6,000 previously reported taken by the Allies.
Many counterattacks were repulsed, especially by the Americans in hard fighting near Gela, and enemy tanks (all of French origin) were destroyed.
The Italian Navy, except for submarines, had not yet been encountered in any strength and the Germans, for the moment, showed no definite signs of deciding where to throw the bulk of their armor in Sicily.
Montgomery does it again
The most sensational advance inland was made by the British and Canadians from the Syracuse bridgehead on the east coast. It was directed by Gen. Sir Bernard L. Montgomery.
The Canadians charged along the road to Ragusa with great speed to make a junction with the Americans who had broken through stiff opposition on the south coast.
The Canadians had covered about 45 miles by road from the east coast area in order to reach Ragusa, while the Americans had advanced at least 20 miles although their starting point was not immediately known.
Ragusa is in the mountains at an elevation of 1,680 feet. Little opposition was offered along the winding roads leading to the town, according to preliminary indications. The communiqué said:
The naval operations, in which more than 3,000 shipping vessels and craft of all types, warships and merchantmen are taking part, are proceeding satisfactorily.
Swedish dispatches quoted German reports that the Allies had landed seven infantry divisions – normally 105,000 men – and two tank divisions in the first two days of the invasion. One tank division was identified as American and the other as British.
A Stockholm dispatch said the Italian press has begun to prepare the nation for the eventual loss of Sicily and Radio Morocco asserted that serious anti-war demonstrations have broken out in northern Italy.
Four Italian generals have been killed in the Sicilian fighting, Radio Algiers said, quoting reports from Rome.
The broadcast came soon after Radio Rome announced the first death of an Italian general in action on the island. He was identified as Lt. Gen. Enrico Francisci, commander of the 13th Zone of Blackshirts and general liaison officer of the Sicilian command.
Radio Algiers did not identify any of the generals by name.
Axis prisoners ragged, belongings lost in fight
Advanced base, North Africa (UP) – (July 12, delayed)
The first batch of Axis prisoners captured in Sicily – 1,000 ragged, poorly dressed and weary Italians and four Germans – arrived today under guard of U.S. soldiers.
The Italians, principally from coastal defense divisions which are apparently far from the cream of Mussolini’s army, had little to say and mostly gazed vacantly at the North African landscape.
These Axis soldiers were seized so quickly they didn’t have time to get together any personal belongings. A few had musical instruments.
Montgomery prefers walking to elevator ride
London, England (UP) –
Gen. Sir Bernard L. Montgomery made history throughout his recent stay at the Claridge Hotel by refusing to use the elevator because:
It’s better exercise to walk.
Gen. Montgomery flew to London in May. His trip was kept officially secret to keep the Axis sweating over the whereabouts of the famous British 8th Army and its commander. Despite the attempted secrecy, the man in battle garb and black beret was recognized by thousands of persons.
By remote control
By the United Press
Premier Mussolini, according to Radio Rome, has sent the following message to his forces in Sicily:
I am with you in spirit.
It was recalled today that in August 1937, Premier Mussolini said in a speech in Sicily:
Not one enemy soldier will ever land in Sicily.
Yank bombers severe Messina’s mainland link
Fortresses halt all traffic and batter industrial sections
Allied HQ, North Africa (UP) –
Allied air forces supported the land campaign in Sicily today with systematic, devastating attacks on the supply link from the Italian mainland, Sicilian airdromes, troops and trains.
U.S. Flying Fortresses bombed traffic to a standstill between the eastern Sicilian port of Messina and the nearby mainland ports of Reggio Calabria and San Giovanni.
An earlier communiqué said Allied air fleets sank or damaged five transports and two destroyers carrying Axis reinforcements to Sicily.
Two Axis supply ships were sunk, a third was damaged badly and two destroyers were left aflame from bow to stern by torpedo aircraft under the command of Air Vice Marshal Sir Hugh Pugh Lloyd.
The planes caught the ships in the Tyrrhenian Sea between Sardinia and Sicily. The destroyers were damaged so badly that they probably sank.
Two other Axis troop ships were reported hit in Sicilian waters.
Two important railway bridges were destroyed at Messina and explosions were caused in large industrial sections.
Axis airports blasted
Medium bombers covered many Axis airports in Sicily with bomb craters. Other Allied planes continued attacks on trains and troops.
Possibly because of damage to airfields, enemy fighter plane opposition was sporadic during the last 24 hours. Some Allied air units had things their own way. Of the enemy planes that ventured out, 28 were shot down, against loss of 11 Allied aircraft.
Set fire to vehicles
One formation of Lockheed Lightnings located four enemy land convoys, setting fire to 35 out of 115 vehicles and damaging others. Another Lightning formation surprised a column of gun-carrying trucks and destroyed 15. Still another flight scored two direct hits on a convoy of 40 vehicles.
Mitchell medium bombers made a daylight raid on Marsala at the western end of the island after British Wellingtons had carried out a night attack on that port.
Wellingtons also bombed Trapani in western Sicily and Mazara del Valla, 15 miles southeast of Marsala.
Dusk-to-dawn raids were carried out by the new type (A-36) Mustang diving fighter-bomber which has just been put in action in this theater. They attacked trains and motor convoys in central Sicily.
Allies fighting as one, Eisenhower asserts
Finds coordination perfect – Canadians advance so fast he can’t reach them
Allied HQ, North Africa (UP) –
Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower returned today from a frontline inspection in Sicily and said that:
Allied coordination could not have been better if all the land, sea and air forces had been from a single nation.
Eisenhower visited the headquarters in Sicily of Lt. Gen. George S. Patton Jr., commanding the new U.S. 7th Army, and of other commanders.
He attempted to confer with the Canadian advance commanders but they were advancing so rapidly that he was unable to make contact, being forced to send word to them through the Canadian rear units.
‘Ike’ introduces self
By John Gunther
Somewhere in Sicily, Italy (UP) – (July 12, delayed)
Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower stepped ashore in Sicily on his personal inspection of the Allied drive, sought out an officer and said:
How do you do? I’m Gen. Eisenhower.
With those words, the Allied commander-in-chief made his presence known to the astonished troops busy consolidating newly-won beach positions.
Our first sight of Sicily came near Gela just before dawn after a quick, secret voyage across the Mediterranean. It was a scene of great activity. Cruisers were firing on the invisible enemy behind the hills. Their guns cracked, echoed and boomed across the beaches and yellow smoke lifted slowly.
Eisenhower watched the action closely and then, assisted by his naval aide, Cdr. Harry Butcher, held a breakfast conference with Gen. George S. Patton Jr., American commander, and VAdm. Harry K. Hewitt, American naval commander, and other high-ranking officers.
Wishes all good luck
Before we landed near the extreme southeastern end of Sicily, we passed various naval units and to all of them Eisenhower signaled the message:
Congratulations and good luck.
For the most part, the coastal villages looked peaceful and deserted.
Near a tomato patch I saw my first “enemy Sicilian,” a boy about 14 on a bicycle, who waved and grinned.
But it mustn’t be deduced from this that all Sicilians are friendly. Last night three British soldiers on watch had their throats cut.
Gen. Patton, Adm. Hewitt and other officers gave Eisenhower an up-to-the-minute picture of the operations, including a description of how the guns of one U.S. cruiser broke up an Axis tank attack, destroying several tanks, although miles away.
They also told him how one village was literally captured by two destroyers.
Eisenhower was pleased to receive personal confirmation from men who took part that our forces “hit almost every beach on the button.”
He learned how, in the initial stages of the operation in one sector, four Italian lieutenant colonels walked up and surrendered, explaining that the reason they were “caught” was that they were making a “personal first-line reconnaissance”.
Sullivan Shipyard indicated in fraud on naval jobs
Kickback racket, $100,000 overcharges laid by U.S. to Boro firm and officers
…
Völkischer Beobachter (July 14, 1943)
Auseinandersetzungen wegen Siziliens –
Zweite Front ja – zweite Front nein
Von unserer Stockholmer Schriftleitung
(Aufn.: Weltbild-Gliese)
dr. th. b. Stockholm, 13. Juli –
In Londoner militärischen Kreisen wird, schwedischen Meldungen zufolge, die Auffassung vertreten, daß sich die Operationen auf Sizilien jetzt ihrer „kritischen Phase“ näherten. Bei Beginn des Angriffs, so erklärte man, sei man sich nicht klar darüber gewesen, wo sich die strategischen Reserven des Gegners befänden. Nun aber müsse man damit rechnen, daß es bald zu schweren Zusammenstößen mit der Hauptmasse der deutschen und italienischen Truppen kommen werde.
Es liegt eine bisher nicht bestätigte englische Reuter-Meldung vor, wonach der General Eisenhower in Sizilien eingetroffen sei. Dies könnte darauf deuten, daß man auf englischer und amerikanischer Seite mit dem Ausbruch härtester Kämpfe rechnet. Unter Eisenhower ist die Leitung der Operationen folgenden britischen und amerikanischen Generalen und Admiralen anvertraut: den englischen Generalen Montgomery und Alexander, dem amerikanischen General Patton, den englischen Luftmarschallen Tedder, Cunningham und Lloyd, den amerikanischen Fliegergeneralen Spaatz und Doolittle, den englischen Admiralen Sir Andrew Cunningham und Ramsay und dem amerikanischen Vizeadmiral Hewitt. Der englische Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay ist insofern ein Spezialist für „amphibische“ Operationen, als er den Rücktransport der britischen Truppen von Dünkirchen zu leiten hatte.
Keine Einigkeit besteht zwischen den Briten und Amerikanern darüber, ob die Landung auf Sizilien als die Errichtung der „zweiten Front“ anzusehen sei oder nicht. Während die amerikanische Presse erklärt, daß „die Schlacht um Europa begonnen hat und die zweite Front nicht mehr ein Traum, sondern eine Realität ist,“ schreibt der diplomatische Mitarbeiter Reuters:
Die Invasion auf Sizilien wird in London als ein Zeichen der Befreiung des Kontinents angesehen und nicht als eine zweite Front… Der Feldzug auf Sizilien, der länger und schwer sein kann, als man auf den ersten Anschein hin vermutete, bedeute keine direkte Erleichterung für die Sowjets in der Bedeutung und in dem Umfang, die die Sowjets meinten, als sie die zweite Front forderten.
Aus dieser Feststellung kann man wohl schließen, daß die Sowjets ihren britischen Bundesgenossen höchst energisch darauf aufmerksam gemacht haben, daß sie sich mit dem Sizilienunternehmen, das sie wahrscheinlich recht zweifelhaft beurteilen, nicht abspeisen lassen. Auf jeden Fall müssen zur Zeit recht lebhafte Auseinandersetzungen und Verhandlungen zwischen England, Amerika und den Sowjets im Gange sein.
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Zwei feindliche Schiffe mit 30.000 BRT. im Atlantik vernichtet –
Weiterer Raumgewinn nördlich Bjelgorod
dnb. Aus dem Führer-Hauptquartier, 13. Juli –
Das Oberkommando der Wehrmacht gibt bekannt:
Nördlich Bjelgorod gewann der deutsche Angriff, von der Luftwaffe unterstützt, nach Zerschlagen von zwei feindlichen Panzergruppen weiter Raum. Gegenangriffe starker Infanterie- und Panzerverbände, die die Sowjets von anderen Frontabschnitten und aus der Tiefe herangeführt hatten, gegen die Spitzen und Flanken der deutschen Angriffskeile und heftige Entlastungsangriffe im Raum östlich und nördlich Orel brachen unter schwersten feindlichen Verlusten zusammen.
Am gestrigen Tage vernichteten Verbände des Heeres, der Waffen-SS und der Luftwaffe erneut über 400 Panzer. 103 feindliche Flugzeuge wurden in Luftkämpfen und durch Flakartillerie der Luftwaffe abgeschossen.
Auf Sizilien gehen die harten Kämpfe gegen den gelandeten Feind in erbitterten Gefechten weiter.
Deutsche und italienische Fliegerverbände griffen laufend in die Erdkämpfe ein und bombardierten unaufhörlich die Landungsflotte vor der Küste der Insel und fügten dieser sehr schwere Verluste zu. 25 feindliche Flugzeuge wurden über Sizilien und Sardinien abgeschossen.
Im Westen bekämpfte ein Verband schwerer deutscher Kampfflugzeuge in der vergangenen Nacht mit gutem Erfolg Hafen- und Dockanlagen der Stadt Grimsby. Weitere Luftangriffe richteten sich gegen Einzelziele im Raum von London und an der Südostküste Englands. Ein deutsches Flugzeug kehrte von diesen Einsätzen nicht zurück.
Fernkampfflugzeuge wurden erneut gegen die am 11. Juli im Atlantik in Brand geworfenen großen feindlichen Schiffe zum Angriff angesetzt. Einer der beiden Transporter war bereits gesunken, der zweite wurde durch Bombenwurf versenkt. Damit verlor der Feind wiederum zwei Schiffe mit zusammen 30.000 BRT.
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La Stampa (July 14, 1943)
Nella regione meridionale della Sicilia la battaglia prosegue con immutata violenza
Il nemico tenta di ampliare le teste di sbarco – Aerosiluranti e bombardieri attaccano ripetutamente unità da guerra e mercantili nemici – Un piroscafo affondato, due incrociatori e numerosi trasporti danneggiati – 25 aerei avversari abbattuti
Il Quartier Generale delle Forze Armate communico:
La battaglia prosegue con immutata violenza nella regione meridionale della Sicilia, dove il nemico cerca di ampliare le teste di sbarco che ha potuto costituire a Licata, Gela, Pachino, Siracusa e Augusta.
Nelle acque dell’isola, aerosiluranti italiani e bombardieri dell’Asse attaccavano ripetutamente unità mercantili e da guerra, affondando un piroscafo di medio tonnellaggio e incendiarono o danneggiando due incrociatori, numerosi trasporti e parecchi mezzi navali minori.
Nel cielo della Sicilia, 14 apparecchi sono stati abbattuti dalla caccia italo-germanica, nove dalle artiglierie contraeree; nostri cacciatori distruggevano sulla Sardegna due altri velivoli.
Formazioni nemiche hanno bombardato centri della Sicilia e della Calabria, tra cui Catania, Messina e Reggio.
Questa notte una incursione è state compiuta su Torino dove la popolazione ha subito perdite e il centro urbano danni considerevoli.
Non hanno fatto ritorno alle basi sei nostri aerei.
Le incursioni citate dal bollettino odierno hanno causato le seguenti vittime finora accertare: a Catania 25 morti e 63 feriti; a Leon Forte 8 morti e 2 feriti; a Reggio Calabria 3 morti e 2 feriti; in provincia di Catanzaro, 30 morti e 43 feriti; a Torino 101 morti e 203 feriti.