STEADY ALLIED ADVANCE

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23352, 11 June 1941, Page 7

STEADY ALLIED ADVANCE

Damascus And Beirut -V -V^r>' .• rvv iIISTRALIANS ENTER ES SUR / (united press association—copyright.) (Received June 10, 11 p.m.) LONDON, June 10. The latest agency messages say that the Allied forces are advancing steadily on Damascus and Beirut, I the two chief towns of Syria and Lebanon. Earlier reports said that one column had advanced at least half way towards Beirut, which Is about 60 miles from the frontier, and that other forces had reached a point a similar distance from the frontier in the Jfrection of Damascus. The latest communique from British General Headquarters in Cairo says that the Allied forces ,in the coastal drive were by yesterday morning beyond Es gaf (Tyre) and had crossed the Leontes river. .On the right, they had advanced beyond a general line from 2(,rava (Ezraa) to Sheikh Miskin and El Kuneitrah. li&Kuneitrah is 15 miles inside Syria, Sheikh Miskin j§ 35 miles to the south-east of El Kuneitrah, and Zorava is 10 miles east of Sheikh Miskin. Australian forces were the first to enter Es Sur. The Australians began their operations at 2 a.m. on Sunday when they cut the barbed-wire on the frontier protecting the Has en Naqura-Beirut coastal road. After this they soon occupied Ras en Naqura, but they were delayed by the demolition of the road near jgfcajiderunch. Sappers speedily repaired the road and the Aostralians entered Es Sur at nightfall, completing i jpiod day’s work by occupying points on the beach ’ where Germans could land. •It Is not expected that the Australians will meet : a»nch resistance until they reach the line of defence round Saida (Sidon) which, with pill-boxes and concrete block-houses, forms the outer defences of Beirut. The Free French radio at Brazzaville says: “Four thousand French deserters in Syria are now fighting on . pdf side. Our advance continues very successfully. The advance guards are meeting scarcely any resistuce. The Allies have reached the outskirts of Beirut.” . X Vichy newspapers have published a statement that forces are markedly superior, especially 'Js armoured equipment. The difficulties of a weak anny defending the Levant territories must be pointed ‘ Supplying this army not only with arms and antniinttition but with food and fuel is almost imposilbte.” Admiral Darlan’s secretary admitted that the situation is particularly grave.

three distinct columns adnidrifcMo .Syria. The westerly one sipupgfait up the coastal road and -Tyre and crossed the about five or six miles mffifMrtb. There are many streams ntpifcljptlnarrow, coastal plain, but of them, tlfimral column crossed the Jor--01 the Sea of Galilee, and limogrtha-ancient route to Damastewwte i -reached El Kuneitrah, litpit .50; miles of its objective. The adiShortlyi-enters the-Valley of the the east is the famous W|e t <pißd,<and further east is the Damascus south into ™§Mirdcolumn has already ib^&jfaiSr'railway. at Zorava,. 50 of Damascus. converging on iMplire separated from the wKtpain. by nigh, broken couna plain perhaps .1500 level to ranges up to spokesman in ipMhn'gaid l yesterday that the adWKeMoi Syria had attained an aver--35 to 40 miles. The Allies W*JpcCrtmtering scattered centres of a ■ considerable number IJcfiffliplcers and men had gone British, and. a number of ceased to fight. British MKlbSfar were negligible. ’^Wsli^dplane 8 are bombing the IllMptidabehind the French lines, nHßt'we fighting' ;are very difficult to estimate the ipnßmtbe French opposition, but it i|iM the Allies have not yet ■jnUaed;'a major resistance. It is wpgfpited that French officials in vtttotry, already occupied are cothe Allies. >' . messages from Vichy refighting in the Jebel Druz wlMHlfcithere is no official news to extent of the opposition Hp.ihe Allies. It is known that aßMgofflciaig in. Syria are collaboratawKflii na, confirmation of a report sources that the British MHamms on the coast of Wwahtir were taken prisoner. . who have been PWSiPalestine’s frontiers and Mipfy .lnch of the terrain, , are Wilfdeep into Syria, preventVmmuice from French outposts, fflsl&p&respondeht with-.' the Bn-; Support troops in Syria are sup*. SWfe the left flank by the British elsewhere by numerous ijwM| advancing from the coast Mmsart of the desert, , states the Wmm borresDondent of the Inde* Wmitench News Agency. The mi'is. continuing according to Msmfbig engagement is reported. Pffi are abundantly provided 'armoured cars, and other ijjpwr Legentilhomme is leading BmhW(< French section. General SffiSithe Commander-in-Clhief of Sawfe-French forces in Syria, is WKclbselv in touch with all move"French radio in the Levant MwnMiuncfed that 140 German Broww%icludihg a colonel, have Myrasd j 'in"Syria.', HBjWFiGerrnan parachutists, are Bwß).i have landed at Merjlyun. HBroch garrison- immediately ap■Bpie Allied forces for : helpMKtolps of parachutists, Hi points on the Lebanon WKmvst according, to the Free IHaBMio all were mopped tip after HMftr-i slight demolition work. BHMjsflred on by the French garBBKbo' afterwards greeted the- AlBHMPIftS- friends. .;>• Hipettor of the French Sflrete yKwrrested because he aided the Sultan El Atrah, BBStettned the advancing troops, HjHpteg his gratitude:' for British ■Hpiffer the 1926 Druz revolt; hls followers were senHKdeath by the French, and he H^jpalordan. BWBatttto a mewagefrom Daroasffiftteof slege, placing Syria under BBtMUtarv rule, was proclaimed SBjßfeir the start 'of ’ the .Allied bSBHWHI:' communique Issued at wffiptes that the British, conoffensive throughout. SunBHwK'bV land and sea, but up ,t0 HBlssßwr'ning tee : enemy’s attacks HHEEtfere been held. ' Counter; Hp!' made at certain points BHHUi,'hindered. - ' .

in the region of tee Jebel Druz mountains and the Hermon foothills, using strong forces of all arms, including a high proportion of armoured units. The French covering forces, supported by artillery and aircraft, defended the terrain foot by foot. ~ The German-controlled Pans radio states: “The British attack is particularly violent south of Damascus, where the British have concentrated 150 tanks and cars Our positions T T£ reported from' Istanbul that the British Mediterranean Fleet is bombarding the Syrian town of Tripoli, which is about 40 miles north-north-east of Beirut lies about two miles from the Mediterranean, its port being El Mina. It was occupied by the British during the Great War. The Berlin radio stated: At the ‘moment Germany considers herself a non-participant observer of the struggle between the former Allies. Nevertheless, Germany, is watching closely every phase ox this shameless British violation .of law and as well as the French reaction to it. A message from Berne states that se&rS) units of the French fleet stationed at Toulon have been ordered to be ready to sail at a moment’s notice. ; Admiral Darlan will broadcast over ail French radio stationsthis'evening. It is announced m London that some of the most modem equipment now reaching the Middle East from America is probably being .used jn tee Syrian Ca Conv6y after convoy of mechanised equipment is roUinv across the Desert through -Palestine to the frontier. Ameriran-built aircraft are also aC lt\s annotmeed in Istanbul that Tur-. key will maintain neutrality Syrian campaign unless she is directly attacked. ' ')■' ;; Friends of Bristol Cathedral.—The flrmufil meeting on Monday of tn6 Friends of Bristol Cathedral, a sarfoty for raising funds to preserve and restore the cathedral buildings, was attended by Queen Maryr A sermon was preached”by the Bishop of Bristol, tee Rt. Rev, C, S. Woodward.— Rugby, June 9. • \ - Governor of Gold Coast. Sir Alan CUtebert Maxwell Bums has been ap* polhted Governor and Commander-In-Chief of the Gold Coast in succession M.Sir Arnold* Wienholt Hodson,, wh? juuF ;and^Cwnmander T «incel934.— Rugby. Jun* &

AXIS SEARCH FOR SHIPS

Vessels Needed In Aegean LOSSES FROM BRITISH ATTACKS (Received June 10, *7 p,m.) LONDON, June 9. It is reported from Istanbul that all along the Axis coast lines from tee Black Sea to Genoa the Germans and Italians' are scrambling for ships in which to carry petrol to their Aegean air bases, where stocks were depleted during the Cretan campaign. Almost anything that will float is being taken. The Germans hoped to secure the Greek tanker fleet, but the Greeks were too quick, and most of the fleet is already safe in British ports. . The Germans recently asked the Turks to hand over 50 Diesel-engined tanker-barges owned by British-com-panies and formerly used for transporting Rumanian oil, but the Turks Units of the Turkish Fleet are reported to be patrolling the Dardanelles. Meanwhile. Allied raiders, including Royal Air Force mine-laying aeroplanes and submarines, are taking toll of Axis shipping in the eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean. According to Istanbul reports, at least six Axis ships were stink last week. British reconnaissance aeroplanes report seeing a large number of German troops on Rhodes and other Islands of the Dodecanese, apparently awaiting aerial transport, presumably to Syria.