20/7. 1943 9.= pm Stuart Hibberd
Americans and Canadians are pushing
on to the centre of Sicily. In the Western
American sector little opposition is
met and the Italians are giving themselves
up by the hundred. In some cases there
is mutiny of Italians who are commanded
by German officers. The Canadians meet
with the strongest resistance near Catania.
German troops supported by tanks have
counterattacked. The total length of the
front there is some 40 miles. The Canadians
are pushing towards Enna where the fighting
is heaviest with infantry. They stand 12 miles
from Enna.
It is now reported that more than 500
American bombers took part in the raid
on Rome yesterday. The raid was an
outstanding success. Livorno and San Lorenzo
marshalling yards were hit as well as airfields.
When Rome was bombed Mussolini was
not there but he went to a place in Northern
Italy to meet Hitler. During the raid we lost
5 machines. Only some 30 Axis fighters
went up whilst the attack on Rome was
going on. 3 of them were shot down.
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