NO BIG ENGAGEMENT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 June 1941, Page 5

NO BIG ENGAGEMENT

MOVEMENT INTO HEART OF DESERT ARMY WELL EQUIPPED & SUPPORTED. NAVY GUARDING FLANK. (Received This Day, 11 a.m.) LONDON, June 9. Allied troops in Syria, supported on the left flank by the British Navy and elsewhere by numerous planes, are advancing from the coast into the heart of the desert, says the Independent French Agency’s Jerusalem correspondent. The advance is continuing according to plan. No big engagement is reported. The troops are abundantly motorised, provided with tanks, armoured cars and other suitable equipment. Brigadier Legentilhomme is leading the French section. • General Catroux is keeping closely in touch with all movements. A British United Press correspondent states that Australians formed the spearhead of the advance from Palestine. They were most cheerful as they moved up the frontier by motor convoy from camouflaged camps. The Free French radio for the Le-« vant announced that 140 German parachutists, including a colonel had been captured in Syria.

ENEMY TALK SATISFACTION PROFESSED IN ITALY. LONDON, June 8. Both Germany and Italy, in announcing the invasion of Syria, accuse Britain of aggression and deny the presence of German troops in Syria. Signor Ansaldo, broadcasting in Rome, said that the Axis Powers anticipated the British attack and took appropriate measures. He added: “The invasion pleases the Axis, because it will hasten complete Axis victory in the Mediterranean.” ’ Signor Ansaldo stated that there was very little that could be said about the developments in Syria so far, but two observations could be made with certainty. In the first place, it was natural that France was primarily responsible for the defence of Syria against British aggression. "We shall now see,” he said, "how the Vichy Government —Marshal Petain, General Weygand, and all the other French leaders —intend to keep their repeated promises of the last few months to defend the French empire against any aggressor, and therefore even against the British. “We shall see whether the army of the Orient, which a year ago was to have marched against the four corners of the earth, will-have the energy and the discilpline to march against the British aggressor.”

NAZI TROOP=CARRIERS FORCED LANDINGS IN TURKEY. ANKARA. June 9. Two German planes flying to Syria made a forced landing in Turkish territory. The crews were interned. Other German troop-carriers were seen flying to Syria from the Dodecanese Islands. ASSURANCE TO TURKEY ANKARA, June 9. It is reliably stated that the British Embassy informed Turkey that Britain would observe an official "hands-off” policy regarding Syria, and was taking only necessary action to defend her own frontiers. SPEEDING EASTWARD WARSHIPS FROM GIBRALTAR. | i LA LINEA (Spain), June 8. H.M.S. Ark Royal, Furious, Sheffield, and a'number of destroyers and submarines left Gibraltar at full speed and proceeded eastward. 1