ADVANCE ON BAGDAD

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 May 1941, Page 5

ADVANCE ON BAGDAD

IMPEDED BY FLOODS & DAMAGE REBELS POUNDED AT RAMADI. SOME TRICKS THAT FAILED. LONDON, May 30. In Iraq British forces are closing in on Bagdad. One force is five miles away to the north-west, and another force is eight miles north of the city. Another force is advancing toward Bagdad from the south-east. The advance west of Bagdad hasbeen impeded by Hoods and a damaged bridge. The British forces are relentlessly pounding the Iraqui defences at Ramadi, where portions of the forces ejected recently from the plateau overlooking Habbania aerodrome are now established. Cutting the dykes and thus inundating the surrounding land, the Iraquis have acquired strong defensive positions. The importance of Ramadi lies in the fact that it is a potential threat against our land communications till the opposition there is completely silenced. The Iraqui garrison is believed to number 2000. On two occasions at least they showed the white (lag. alter which they opened lire. Another trick is to disguise themselves as women and approach our positions as if intending to work at the riverside. Phis trick was exposed when we fired a warning shot, whereupon the "women immediately assumed open order as only trained soldiers could, and produced rifles concealed under thenrobes.