IRAQ FIGHTING

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 198, 19 May 1941, Page 7

IRAQ FIGHTING

Rebels Said To Be In Palestine

GERMAN AIRCRAFT IN ACTION

R.A.F. Raid Aerodromes'!

( Received May IS, 9.30 p.in.) LONDON, May 17.

Bagdad radio claims that some of Rashid Ali’s troops have penetrated into Palestine after overcoming a British force which crossed the frontier into Iraq. The Iraqis claim that they seized the heights overlooking Nablus (28 miles from Jerusalem), where Palestine Arab rebels are joining them.

An Iraqi communique claims that troops are attacking the British positions near Basra, where a big battle is developing. The first official mention of German aircraft in action in Iraq is contained in an R.A.F. Middle East communique, which states: “In Iraq a number of German aircraft were machine-gunned at the aerodrome at Mosul. A Heinkel was set on fire and destroyed and other aircraft were damaged. Petrol oil tanks were successfully bombed at Amara by aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm. The R.A.F. station at Habbaniyah. was raided by a formation of Heinkels supported by Me 110’s. The damage caused was slight and there were few casualties. The Messerschmitts also machinegunned au ambulance on the plateau.”

TURKEY’S POSITION

Reported German Offer

LONDON, May 17.

The Istanbul correspondent of the British United Press says Turkey lias taken suitable measures along her eastern and southern frontiers since the latest developments in the Middle East.

Axis sources in Istanbul declare that the German Ambassador, Herr von Papen, has offered Turkey some Greek islands off the Turkish coast if Turkey will co-operate with the Axis. The Istanbul correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain says that the news of the British bombing of Syrian aerodromes has caused a tremendous stir in official circles at Ankara. If fighting were to spread to Syria, he says, Turkey would be virtually isolated from the democracies to which her policy is attached. It is stated in well-informed quarters in Ankara that Turkey will maintain her attitude of non-belligerency despite developments in Syria, and will only abandon it if her independence is threatened. This course can only be interpreted as meaning that Turkey will keep out of the war at all costs. DEFENCE OF IRAQ Russian-German Combine Mooted ( Received May 18, 7.5 p.m. TOKIO, May 17. The newspaper "Yomiuri Shimbun’’ states (bat a Russian-German combine to defend Iraq is being considered. It was reliably learned that Russia had invited the Afghanistan Foreign Minister to visit Moscow. VIRTUAL HOSTAGES Americans In Occupied France (Received May 18, .11.311 p.m. i WASHINGTON, May IS. Mme than 2000 Americans are held ns virtu,-H hostages in occupied France. According to the State Department, u<< Americans have been allowed to leave Paris ami the ether cities in the past three weeks. Possible motive.-- suggested are, first an effort to concetti troop movements, secondly reprisals for the arrest of German seamen in the i'nited Stales, and ‘hirdly anticipatory hostages in the .■vent of war with the I'nited States. POLITICAL PRISONERS RELEASED IN IRAQ (Received May 18. 7.5 p.m. ■ LONDON. May 17. Tin. t'airo representative of tin I’ri ... . I nil. -d Pre- -ay- Rashid Ali has released all t'olilmal prisoners, in rim line Hikmii Suiaimau. who lias iioesi appointed Iraqi A miia s-ador in

PETAIN’S “SAD END” Free French Communique (British Official Wireless. > RUGBY, May 16. A communique issued by Free French beadquarters in London states: — “In allowing Syrian aerodromes to be used by German planes, the abettors of the June capitulation have been guilty of a fresh act of treason. How could Marshal Petain, revoking the promise he so recently made publicly, associate himself with the move against the allies of the French? Frenchmen who have joined General de Gaulle in order to continue the struggle see with the deepest sorrow the sad end of the French military leader, who is now a mere toy of the small group of careerists who have gone over to (he enemy. “The Free French have never field that the Vichy Government, which was formed without consulting the French people, is entitled to speak on behalf of the nation. They have always maintained that action taken by Vichy defies the wishes of the immense qiajority of the people. Faced with this fresh infamy on the part of Admiral Darlan and his accomplices, the Free French wish to state before the whole world that the Vichy Government does not represent France, and that the French people must not in any way be involved in that Government’s dishonour. “In the name of our nation, which is now gagged and powerless, Free France solemnly and publicly protests against Vichy’s policy of treason?’

CROATIAN STATE

Yu gosl av G overn ment’s

Protest

(British Official Wireless.) i Received May 18, 7 p.m.,) RUGBY, May 17.

The Yugoslav Minister called at the Foreign Office yesterday and handed the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs a strongly-worded condemnation by his Government of the action of the Axis Powers in attempting to cut off portion of Yugoslav territory and in purporting to set up a so-called Free Croatian State. The Yugoslav Government, the only duly accredited representative of Croatia, as of other parts of the Yugoslav State, insists that this is a completely unjustified proceeding, and grossly violates the true feelings of the Yugoslav people in general, and of the Croatian population in particular. Persons the Germans ami Italians arc using as instruments are terrorists acting under Axis orders. According to a Rome message, it. is officially stated that a Croat delegation will ask tile King of Italy to designate a Prince of the House of savoy to assume the Croatian Crown. PRISONERS TAKEN Single-Handed Feats < British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, May 16. The single-handed capture of a large number of prisoners such as might he tile subject of a .schoolboy’s dream of adventure gained an award ol the D.C.M. for Warrant Officer C. T. Buckley. The official account says that during a recent buttle ho displayed such resou ('<**.■ ami courage Hint lie captured several hundred prisoners singlehanded. On one occasion his armoured car was escorting a party of prisoners and. in the darkness, missed his squadron. His party encountered a group of the enemy, and, though the accompanying lorries were unarmed, Warrant Officer Buckley attacked with such dash that the enemy, after suffering a few casualties, surrendered. The following morning, while again escorting a party of prisoners, be at-Im-keil an enemy for' with his ;iutitmik rille mid captured I he garrison. ip, I,mh 0.-.-usimi- Warrant Officer Illi ley wa- ;l <-liiig .i.mu- mid "ii limit « ii ele.-'. ami has Ihrotiehmil Ihe oporaHmi- -et a mng'iiiticetil i xainph: ol Imld- . mid del ci-inin.'i I ion