ALLIED PRISONERS IN SYRIA RELEASED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 170, 21 July 1941, Page 7

ALLIED PRISONERS IN SYRIA RELEASED

MANY tt'STRMMXS

Vichy Leaders' Statements

Rouse Resentment

United Press Association.—Copyright,

Rec. 1 p.m.

LONDON, July 20,

Thirteen hundred Allied officers and men taken prisoner in the Syrian campaign have reached Baalbeck from camps in North Syria. The first contingent included Australians taken prisoner at Mezze and Merjiyun. The men said they were well treated, but the food was indifferent. It is understood that about 20 officers taken to France are to be returned to Syria. Allied troops occupy all towns in Syria and Lebanon except Tripoli, which is reserved for the Vichy army, pending repatriation. A notice is published in newspapers inviting Frenchmen desiring to enrol with the Free French to report to army headquarters. The "Daily Telegraph's" Syria correspondent says tne publication in Beirut of statements by Petain and Dentz has provoked bitter comment. Petain said France was about to suffer an eclipse in the Levant and Dentz declared that the armistice terms would have been more favourable but for the influence of the de Gaulle supporters. Senior Vichy officials about to hand over their jobs permitted publication of statements of their action. These emphasise the danger of allowing Vichy supporters to remain in the country, as the continued presence of anti-British factions may result in the sapping of Allied authority. with a corresponding increase in fifth column activity. There is no longer any reason why Dentz and members of his staff, who declared they would recognise only the authority of Vichy, should be allowed to remain in Syria. "The Times" Beirut correspondent says German military victories recounted over the German radio dazzled the Moslems. They are also momentarily afraid to collaborate with the British, following German propaganda that the Germans are returning to Syria in September, and threatening drastic treatment to those helping Britain.