ALLIED ATTACK ON DAMASCUS

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23361, 21 June 1941, Page 9

ALLIED ATTACK ON DAMASCUS

Reporte(| Thrust Into Suburbs

FRENCH PATROL ACTIVITY

(U.P.A.) LONDON, June 19. Allied troops, heavily supported by bombers, are smashing their way into Damascus This action follows the rejection by General Dentz, the Vichy High Commissioner, of the ultimatum presented by General Sir Henry Maitland Wilson, the Allied Commander-in-Chief, for the withdrawal of French troops from the capital. An official report from Beirut states that Indian and Free French forces today advanced six miles and entered the suburbs of the capital. Unconfirmed reports state that General Sir Archibald Wavell has arrived in Syria to conduct an intensified offensive, and Imperial reinforcements are arriving. French counter-attacks, which were previously reported to be menacing British communications in several places, have petered out because of lack of troops to replace the tired units, which have been battling for 12 days. A' Beirut communique reports that British naval units bombarded a region north of Saida, but the French Levant Naval Division shelled British positions at Saida. If adds that Indian troops last night infiltrated into the Mezze region, three miles west ot Damascus, but were driven out in the morning. The French also repulsed an attack against Merjiyun. “Progress has again been made in the coastal sector in Syria, while further important positions have been captured just south of Damascus,” states a communique issued to-day by British General Headquarters in Cairo. “In the central sector Allied troops successfully reoccupied El Kuneitrah, while a strong Vichy force in Merjiyun has now been surrounded." A military spokesman in Jerusalem said to-night that cavalry units of the British forces -in Syria had advanced to within 16 miles of Beirut. So far 1200 Vichy officers and men had surrendered to the Allies. A combined force - of South African Air Force and Royal Air Force bombers attacked opposing positions which are holding up the British troops near Damascus. At Beirut, shipping in the harbour was bombed, one very near miss being made on a destroyer. Two Vichy aircraft were shot down at Es Suweida, about 63 miles south-west of Damascus.

VICHY’S ACTION IN SYRIA

“MODERATE POLICY” ADOPTED DIPLOMATIC ACTION BY U.S. LONDON, June 19. Firm diplomatic action by the United States caused Vichy’s moderation in Syria, particularly the decision to regard the British penetration as a local incident, says the Madrid correspondent of the “Daily Mail.” . , , Admiral Leahy, the United States Ambassador, between June 6 and 15, firmly warmed Marshal Petain against full collaboration with Germany and threatened that if action were taken that was detrimental to Britain, the United States would seize French Guiana and the French West Indies, after which action would be taken against Dakar and Casablanca.

HERR HESS

MORE QUESTIONS IN

COMMONS

STATEMENT MAY NOT BE

MADE

(8.0. W.) RUGBY, June 19. Questions concerning the presence in Britain of Rudolf Hess were raised in the House of Commons on the rilotion for the adjournment to-day. The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr R. A.' Butler), who replied to the debate, said that the matter could not he taken further than the Government had already intimated on previous occasions. Mr Butler said that Herr Hess was a prisoner of war and was treated as such in strict accordance with rules laid down by international law. If, m future, it was decided that a statement could usefully be made it would be made, but in this case the Government did not believe that it had anything to say which would make for the improvement of Britain’s war effort, nor did it believe that by saying nothing it would in any way upset the morale of the people.

King and Queen Visit War Factories. —The King and Queen to-day saw further evidence of the tremendous war effort which north-east Britain is making when they toured shipyards and armament factories in Durham. At a shipyard Their Majesties saw several cargo'ships on the stocks ; in various stages of completion, and went aboard •two other ships which were only recently launched. Later in the day they visited, lyiiddlesborough., where they inspected a big Air Raid precautions parade.—Rugby, June 19.