CONFLICT IN MIDDLE EAST

Evening Star, Issue 24281, 24 August 1942, Page 3

CONFLICT IN MIDDLE EAST

EIGHTH ARMY'S LOSSES MADE UP

AMERICA COMING INTO PICTURE

LONDON, August 22. The Eighth Army’s losses since Juno are now amply made up, says the Cairo correspondent of ‘ The Times,' 'and it is again possible to contemplate more than the mere defence of Egypt. In considering the striking power ot the Eighth, - and also the Tenth Armyguarding the Persian and Iraqi oilfields, it must be remembered that assistance from the United States is every day coming more and more into the (picture. Cairo headquarters reports as follows;—“Land operations yesterday were confined to artillery' exchanges in the northern and central sectors. Although dust storms have curtailed air operations in the battle area, our fighter-bombers successfully' attacked enemy vehicles and encampments. An Italian aircraft was destroyed _ by fighters near Cyprus during the night, and a Hoinkcl 111 was shot down into the sea near the delta.”

PREPARED TO FIGHT

IRAQ'S POLICY DEFINED

BAGDAD, August 22. I do not think the Germans will attempt to break through the Caucasus Mountains,” the Prime Minister, General Nuri es Sad, stated, “ but it they do and reach our frontiers we will declare war and fight for the Allies. - ’ Iraq’s military defences, he added, were good, and Iraq had full faith in Turkey, who would not allow aggression to go unchallenged. “We are also confident that our Allies will hold the Egyptian front, he said. “ Something must have gone ■wrong there last June, hut military mistakes occur in every campaign. We are greatly' encouraged by the arrival of British and American reinforcements in the Middle East, and we are most grateful for the support we are receiving from the Middle East Supply Board, which is helping ns to solve our economic problems.” General Nnri said he blamed Mr Gandhi’s weakness and insincerity for India’s troubles. “ I advise Mr Gandhi to ask the Japanese to withdraw from China and elsewhere before asking Britain to withdraw from India. Then both his and Japanese sincerity will he proved.”

SILENCING ENEMY BATTERIES

ARTILLERY AND AIRCRAFT CO-OPERATE

(N.Z.E.F. Official War Correspondent.)

WESTERN DESERT, Aug. 21. Air co-operation in silencing opposing batteries, a new experience for New Zealand artillery, has been used with success during the present phase of this desert campaign. It is a phase of comparatively stationary warfare when the guns on both sides are dugin and carefully concealed., When an enemy battery is located it is difficult from the ground to observe the results of. counter-fire, but with a plane to act as spotter the greatest accuracy is now possible. Smoke shells give a hovering plane an indication of an enemy battery’s position and the range to our guns. The spotter plane has a strong fighter escort during an operation which, when all the guns available in that position are brought to bear, usually takes about 15 minutes.

EGYPTIAN FRONT QUIET

SLIGHT INCREASE IN AIR ACTIVITY

(British Official Wireless.) (Hoc. 9.50 a.m.) RUGBY, Aug. 25. General headquarters at Cairo reports: “Apart from patrol activity, there is nothing to report from our land forces. There has been a slight increase in air activity. Our fighters and bombers successfully attached groups of enemy vehicles in the southern and central sectors.”

PERSIA-iRAQ COMMAND

GENERAL MAITLAND WILSON IN CHARGE

LONDON, August 24

It has been announced that a new command has been set up to be known as the Persia-Iraq command. General Sir Henry Maitland Wilson, formerly Commander-in-Chief of the Ninth Army, has been appointed to the new command.

IRANIAN GENERAL SHOT

(Kec. 12.45 p.m.) TEHERAN, Aug. 23. General Chahab. director of the Senior Military Officers’ School, was shot dead by a dismissed cadet while conversing with a group of officers. His assailant was arrested.