IN THE VANGUARD

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 June 1941, Page 5

IN THE VANGUARD

CHEERFUL AUSTRALIAN TROOPS RESISTANCE FROM FORTIFIED POSTS. STUBBORN AT SOME POINTS. LONDON, June 10. A correspondent of the British ’ United Press says that the cheerful Australian troops have formed the spearhead of the advance from Palestine. The Australian official war correspondent in a message from Jerusalem dated June 8 says: “The Australians crossed to French soil at Chaab without conflict, but from this point on they have met with resistance, mostly from fortified posts round Merj lyun, where it is estimated that at least four French battalions offered fight. The Allied troops were ordered not to open fire nor show their arms unless and till they were attacked. Their progress since has been resisted by force—stubbornly if not formidably.

“Children were removed from one village in the fighting area to a safer district in a motor-bus. They sang songs and waved to the Australians as they departed.

“Besides the force which is driving toward. the centre of Syria another Australian force is moving up the coastal road, and an Indian force is converging from the east. “The Australians in the central drive are supported by English cavalry—on horses. This use of British horses for the first time in the war is justified by the nature of the country in which they are at present operating. The cavalry officers are fine men and have fine horses.” THE OPENING MOVE. A delayed message from a speciaj correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain, who is with the Allies describes how early on June 8 Australian infantry accompanied by Bren gun carriers and 25-pounders set off from the shores of the Sea of Galilee for the frontier, where they surprised a French sergeant and seven Lebanese guards, who surrendered without a word. The Australians then ran into a volley of shots from a concealed fort, to which they replied with artillery, silencing the* fort’s guns. After storming the stronger fortress of Khaim, they sent out flanking parties, causing the garrison to withdraw and enabling the British to control Merj lyun, which is the first important town across the frontier in this sector.

A correspondent of the “Daily Express” who is with the Australians, says that an Australian officer, daring a hail of machine-gun bullets and mortar fire, crept up to one French fort covering Merj lyun, and called on the commander to “come out and talk it over.” The commander parleyed for two hours, after which he surrendered. The British and Free French waited! through the night of June 7 in bright: moonlight for the order to invade Syria, says the Jerusalem correspondent of “The Times.” At the first coming of light they crept out from their positions among the rocks and made for the frontier. Reconnaissance patrols stole on ahead while anti-tank guns, tanks and armoured cars cruised ahead of the infantry along the new, first-class roads leading toward the coast and inland. NATIVE TROOPS CAPTURED. The Free French commander in the Middle East, General Catroux, announced over the Palestine radio that our men went in singing the “Marseillaise.” The correspondent added that a coastal landing ground just across the border was one of the first points the Australians occupied. Between 300 and 400 prisoners were quickly taken, some willingly and others after a show of resistance.

The opposing troops were mostly Senegalese or other French native battalions officered by whites.

Throughout the advance the French and Syrians are being given a chance to lay down their arms peacefully and are not being asked to surrender but to join the Allies, who are going into action only where resistance is shown. It is learned in London that the Australians entered Tyre at nightfall on June 8, and completed their good day's work by occupying points on the beach where the Germans could make landings of troops. It is not expected that the Australians will meet with much resistance till they reach the line of defence round Saida, which, with pillboxes and concrete block-houses, forms the outer defences of Beirut.