AUSTRALIAN PUSH TO ADLOUN

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23354, 13 June 1941, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN PUSH TO ADLOUN

10-Mile Advance From Leontes River SPECIAL FORCE’S GALLANTRY (Received June 12, 7 p.m.) (U.P.A.) JERUSALEM, June' 11. Australian troops yesterday fought their way to Adloun, 10 miles north of the Leontes river and 12 miles south of Saida, says the Australian official war correspondent. Advancing up the coast, the Australians put a bridge across the Leontes and broke the French line, which is the strongest fortified line between the frontier and Beirut.

The French were-now fighting a delaying action, and Australian engineers working at top speed in the moonlight flung a bridge of 10 pontoons across the Leontes, enabling guns, infantry, ambulances, wireless trucks, supply lorries ,and all kinds of armament to pass over and reinforce the men fighting round Adloun. A South Australian battalion which was in the van behind the mobile forces faced a strong resistance from machine-guns and trench mortars, but the Australian mobile force steadily overcame the resistance from opposing tanks and armoured-cars, most of which were inferior to those of the Australians.

It was a great relief to the advancing infantry as well as to the engineers when they found that a small and courageous advance party had succeeded in preventing the destruction of the next bridge in their path. This was held against greatly superior odds all day by two officers and 18 men of a special force. As a result of the day’s push to Adloun, 400 opposing troops were captured, together with motor vehicles and other material.

The front is still in a fluid state, the correspondent adds. A French counterattack failed in the face of concentrated machine-gun and artillery, fire. The correspondent mentions a kind of unofficial Light Horse which heralded the Australian infantry battalion which marched into Ej Sur. The manner in which the men obtained the horses is typical of the unorthodox Australian soldier.

• It appears that one company of a Victorian battalion met with a stiff resistance from a fort manned by Spanis. With fixed bayonets they charged the fort, and the Spahis fled on horses which were stabled there. However, another section of the same company was able to stop the fugitives, and their steeds were duly commandeered, otherwise "pinched.” These men had had a long and exhausting march, and they welcomed the chance of riding for the rest of the journey. They thundered into Es Sur to the accompaniment of cheers from the inhabitants and the stark surprise of their comrades. Occupation of Es Sur The correspondent proceeds: “When I left Es Sur the Australian troops were busily consolidating their occupation of the town. The British flag flew from the top of the police station, and Australian soldiers, with fixed bayonets, were standing guard on the street corners. These precautions were purely formal, as the incoming forces were welcomed with a fervour reminiscent of home-coming troops. "The town’s police force thoughtfully stayed behind to help in keeping order, but there was np attempt at resistance. On the contrary, the townsfolk crowded the streets and gave the troops an embarrassing welcome. They festooned everything and everybody with roses. There were roses everywhere, even on rifles and vehicles. “Not long after swarms of naked Australians were bathing, whooping and splashing In the blue Mediterranean far below the town.

r “The Vichy element, consisting of Spahis, Algerians, and Lebanese, under Vichy officers, had evacuated the town some hours before the arrival of the troops. They had taken most of the available ‘tucker’ with them. “Es Sur, in spite of ifs antiquity and strategic value, is not an impressive place. All that remains of its ancient splendour is a huddle of ramshackle buildings round the dilapidated pier. "British cavalry regiments have been assisting the Australians in the coastal sector, charging the enemy with swords whenever he snows fight. “A British officer said that when the troops entered El Kuneitrah they found only four French soldiers, who declared that the entire garrison would gladly have surrendered, but their scoundrelly commandant ordered them to fight on.”

BRITISH FOREIGN SERVICE GREATER EFFICIENCY SOUGHT (8.0. W.) RUGBY, June 11. It is authoritatively stated that the Government has decided to introduce reforms for the creation of a combined foreign service embracing the Foreign Office, the diplomatic, and consular services and separated from the home civil service with the highest posts open to all members. The reforms aim at encouraging the entry of men without private means and encouraging efficiency by permitting retirement on pension of men who have shown that they are unsuitet® for higher posts. ’ It is considered that Britain needs a foreign service of exceptional efficiency if her diplomacy is to be as effective as it should. It is also considered that the reforms will make British diplomacy more representative of Britain as a whole.

CABLE MESSAGES IN BRIEF Correspondent Withdrawn. —The “Chicago Daily News” announced that it Is withdrawing its Berlin correspondent, Mr David Nichol, because it is impossible for American correspondents to write independent, analytical dispatches.—Chicago, June 11. Japanese Minister Resigns.—Mr Tadaatsu Ishiguro, the Japanese Minister for Agriculture and Forestry, has resigned because of ill-health. The Prime Minister (Prince Konoye) has appointed Mr Sekisai Ino, the ViceMinister, his successor.—Tokyo. June 11. The British Council.—ft was announced in the House of Commons today that Sir. Malcolm Robertson had been appointed chairman of the British Council in place of the late Lord Lloyd. One of the aims of this, organisation, which was formed at the instance of the Foreign Office, is to make the life and thought of*the British peoples more widely known abroad and to promote a mutual interchange of knowledge and ideas with other peoples.—-London, June 11.

Inquiry Into Lose of Hood.— The cause of H.M.S. Hood’s loss is Under investigation, stated the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty (Sir Victor Warrender) in replying to a question in the House of Commms, A special inquiry is being made into any defect of construction or lack of armour.”—London, June 11. U.S. Fighters for Britain.—More than 1000 Curtiss-Wright Tomahawk fighters have been shipped to Britain from the United States. Many of'these fighters are now in the Near East.— London, June 1L