REBELS LOSING

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 109, 10 May 1941, Page 9

REBELS LOSING

NAZI AGENTS WEAK

Enemy Planning Big Moves In

Middle East

r.ri!;-h Official WirHe*!.. i Rec. 1 p.m. RUGBY. May P. j In Iraq British troops have oecu- ■ pied the plateau overlooking Habha- j niyah. while salvaee iterations in the area are continuing. In addition ' [ to guns captured, quantities of Iraqi i war materials of all descriptions have j been brought in ' Meanwhile, the remnants of the dissident element*, of the Iraqi \rm\ : which attacked Habbanhah have withdrawn to Ramade and Falljuja ; Imperial patrols have been active ; towards both these places. The Basra '■ area is reported to be quiet. ! Six howitzers of :; Tin calibre! have been capuired in the recent fighting, as well as some lorries and' armoured car-. The howitzers are of Value, as they are of exactly the same type a.- used b\ British m<... • ' tain batteries. . Dealing with the situation gener-1 ally, competent commentators point ! out that the situation is not v-t ; cleared up. and it is possible the 1 trouble will spread, but the opinion i is expressed that the German-paid clique in the Iraqi annv app3rentlv is not at present making much head- ! way in fomenting dissensions. Rioting, but not of a serious cha-- l acter. has occurred at Basra, where British troops have extended the I area of occupation bv taking over ! banks, telegraph offices and similar under takings. I The Cairo correspondent of the i ■Daily Express' - savs first-hand in- I formation indicates that the Ger- j mans are gathering parachute troops and air-borne troops in the Middle j East for attacks on Crete, the Western Desert. Svria and Iraq Sicily. Bengasi. Athens. Rhodes and also the recently-seized Greek islands are being used as bases. Powerful Nazi Air Carriers Large numbers of Junkers aircraft are being assembled. Each machine j is capable of carrying 30 men. and I is equipped with extra parachutes i for supplies. These men carrv more I hand-grenades and ammunition than the ordinary infantry, and they are distinct from the air-borne troops. The machines carry petrol pumps. 1 motor cycles, machine-guns and ! small armoured vehicles. j The Germans are reported to have '■ begun an intense re-equipping cam- ' paign in Greece. Bulgaria and ! Rumania, concentrating on air-borne ; contingents. Some of the Junkers j machines are alreadv employed in carrying supplies to Tobruk from Bengasi. The Italians and Germans are also building up forces in Rhodes and Leros. and hence an attack against Crete may soon be expected. In the meantime. General Wavell. Admiral Cunningham and Air-', Marshal I.ongmorc are building up their forces, and it is estimated that those in Palestine and Crete are twice as strong as they were a fortnight ago.