BRITISH COMMAND

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 August 1942, Page 3

BRITISH COMMAND

SOUTH OF THE CAUCASUS TURKS BELIEVE RUSSIANS WILL HOLD MOUNTAINS. ATTENTION DIRECTED MORE TO EGYPT. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, August 24. The creation of an independent Persian-Iraq command with General Maitland Wilson, the commander-in-chief, has obviously been decided as a result of tlie German thrust in the Caucasus, says the Cairo correspondent of “The Times.’’ The chances of a German advance across Turkey seemed at the end of last year greater than of a thrust through the Caucasus, so the role of the Ninth Army (Syria and Palestine ■ transcended that of the Tenth Army (Iraq and Persia) in importance. Now it js the other way round. The Tenth Army has the bigger responsibility, considering the long front —500 nines —it has to cover. It is provided, however, with base depots on the Persian Gulf and ordnance supply services on a scale fit for a much larger army, and it now presumably will be suitably reinforced to meet the German thrust as it comes nearer. Both the Tenth and Ninth Armies have been engaged since their creation in organising defence and supply, and as long as this was the case they have not provided much preoccupation for the commander-in-chief, but it is otheiwise now. There is the prospect of the opening of a second major front in the north in addition to the Eighth Army’s operations, and in this case the Middle East Command, already somewhat unwcildy, would become too heavy a burden for one man. The fear in Turkey of a German invasion from the Caucasus has almost vanished, due to the Turkish belief that the Germans will be unable to overcome' the Russian resistance in the southern Caucasus, says the Istanbul correspondent of the “Daily Mail.” The attention of the Turks is directed more to Egypt, he says. If Egypt fell Turkey’s communications with the Allies through Palestine, Iraq and Syria would then be menaced, threatening Turkey with serious isolation. The Turks are not neglecting their defence preparations, but a large part of their intention is to make themselves ready to play a leading part in the pacification of the Balkans after Germany’s collapse, A majority of Turks believe that Germany will collapse in 1943. The British Ninth Army in Palestine and Syria, which has hitherto been commanded by General Maitland Wilson, does not come within the newly-created Persia-Iraq command, to which he has just been appointed (says a British Official Wireless message). The appointment of a new commander for the Ninth Army, which remains in the Middle East command under General Alexander, is expected shortly.