BEIRUT AS OBJECTIVE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 June 1941, Page 6

BEIRUT AS OBJECTIVE

ALLIED FORCES PUSHING ON FROM SIDON

After Nearest Approach Yet Made to Fdi-Scale Battle STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF JEZZINE . HOPES OF OUTFLANKING ENEMY FORCES (By Telegraph—Press Association.— Copyright.) (Received This Oay. 11.00 a.m.) LONDON. -Juno 15. The victors at Sidon are now pushing on against the defences of Beirut, the road to which is thick with anti-tank obstacles and snipers’ posts. General Dents is reported to have established strong artillery and machine-gun positions concealed in olive groves south of the town. The British advance northvzard from Jezzme (east oi Sidon) provides a means of passing by these defences of the ccastai plain by traversing the mountains and outflanking the main positions. The capture cf Jezzine was also valuable for the operations against Sidon, giving the Allies control of the read to Sidon which, according to a British United Press correspondent, was undefended,’thus permitting the forces in the central sector to support a local outflanking movement against Sidon. , , x The fighting - at Sidon provided the nearest appi oac-i to a full-,scale battle sc far, with Allied, German and Vichy planes, and. British and Vichy Government warships, contesting tne seaward flank and air and land forces, both sides clashing south and east of the town. Vichy’s official announcement of the fall cf Sidon followed hard on the heels of a communique from Beirut saying that, while British warships continued a systematic bombardment of the Sidon district, armoured cars launched an attack on June 13 and 14.