MARSHAL TITO

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 December 1943, Page 4

MARSHAL TITO

GIVEN STATUS OF FULL ALLIED COMMANDER AS RESULT OF ALEXANDRIA CONFERENCE. REGARDED AS FIRST-CLASS SOLDIER. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) (Received This Day, 11.0 a.m.) LONDON, December 22. Marshal Tito has been raised to the status 1 of a full Allied commander as a result of the highly successful conference at Alexandria, says Reuter’s Cairo correspondent. Allied military commanders in the Middle East are now co-ordinating plans for more intensive operations in Yugoslavia. Further important strategic discussions with the Balkan army leaflets are expected. The liaison with Matshal Tito is placed at the highest level, the Partisan armies being considered as an integral part of the Allied forces operating in Southern Europe. It is learned authoritatively that despite the mystery surrounding the personal activities and background of Marshal Tito, veteran commanders in the Middle East regard him as a first-class soldier, brilliantly carrying out the only possible scheme of military operations in Yugoslavia. While it is 100 early to envisage a full-scale third Allied front in the Balkans, the Alexandria talks are viewed in the Middle East asut now stepping-stone to the Balkans aiK the first concrete tieup with the growing armies of Underground Europe. The Moscow “Red Star” reports that the Yugoslav People’s Army has inflicted 40.000 casualties on the German forces, but needs arms. The Soviet Army paper says the Germans are using six 'divisions in Bosnia alone. “DAILY WORKER” REPORT. The London Communist paper, the “Daily Worker'’ reports that the Cairo authorities have arrested Ivo Chichinshain, Finance Minister in the Yugoslav Government in Exile. Chichinshain is detained for questioning on suspicion of trafficking with, the enemy. His arrest was ordered on information supplied by General Roatta, who terrorised Yugoslavia after the Italian occupation in 1942. Roatta organised Mikhailovitch’s Chetniks on behalf of Mussolini's Government. Chichinshain joined the Yugoslav Government in Exile two years ago.