GERMAN TRANSPORTS IN AEGEAN

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 199, 20 May 1941, Page 7

GERMAN TRANSPORTS IN AEGEAN

Still No Large Force In Iraq BRITISH GARRISON’S POSITION FURTHER IMPROVED (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Received May 19, 9.45 p.m.) LONDON, May 19, The arrival of fresh reinforcements at Habbania by air, including some of the most warlike units of the Indian Army, has cheered the besieged garrison, says the “Daily Telegraph’s” Jerusalem correspondent? The former besiegers seem momentarily on the defensive, and the garrison was not even upset by an attack by a small group of German planes on May 16. However, with the threat of German reinforcements still impending, it cannot be said that the situation is yet ntirely happy. One indication of Rashid All’s failure to rally the whole body ..•f his countrymen behind him is that the Arab tribes in the Euphrates Valley have so far shown no signs of joining the movement, though they have been among the fiercest participants in every previous antiforeign trouble. In the meantime the attacks continue against the enemy planes.

from Syrian aerodromes, and not only have German planes been destroyed blit also runways have been smashed. Most of the British colony in Syria have now crossed the border into' Palestine.

A Free French officer who was in Syria recently stated emphatically that nine-tenths of the military and

civil populations desired an Allied victory, and the Germanophiles were limited to only one small clique of higher officers. The French army in Syria is between 45,000 and 50,000, and is mostly composed of colonials. Tbe equipment has deteriorated since the Armistice through neglect, and much of it is now unserviceable, There are about 300 planes, of which only 30 per cent, are thought to be airworthy, while the petrol supplies are short. Oil Flows to Syria. Iraq oil is flowing once more through the pipeline from Mosul to the Syrian port of Tripoli, but recently a mysterious explosion put out of action the refinery at Tripoli, which is the largest in Syria. Incidentally, the Iraqis, while permitting the flow of oil to Tripoli, cut off the supplies by the pipe-line to Haifa. While the British fleet and air force operating from Alexandria, Crete and Cyprus can prevent tbe Italians and Germans from landing large forces in Syria, the Germans are accumulating a respectable fleet of transports in ports ou tbe Aegean Sea by bringing Axis, Bulgarian and Rumanian ships through the Dardanelles from the Black Sea. Though precise information about what is happening in Syria aud Iraq is difficult to obtain, it is confirmed that the German operational staffs have taken over three Syrian aerodromes. These, it is expected, will soon be bases for operations against the British forces in Iraq, Egypt. Palestine, and elsewhere.

According to the Ankara correspondent of “The Times,” the first 30 bombers sent to Iraq are mostly old-fashion-ed machines of French manufacture, which the Germans captured last year. Syrian Volunteers. The French are helping the Germans by facilitating the passage of Syrian volunteers for Rashid All’s army About 5000 men. who are described as a disaffected riff-raff were brought 'o the frontier in French military lorries aud are now awaiting a favourable opportunity to cross.

It is reported that a small detachment which crossed the frontier within the past fexx- days met a shower of bullets and bombs from British aeroplanes.

French statements ami actions almost give the impression that Vichy has given up responsibility for Syria. There is no evidence that the French have attempted to defend their aero dromes from the British bombers, and they are sending to Iraq daily irreplaceable guns and ammunition. This does not indicate any intention to resist invasion.

The zknkara correspondent of "Tlie Times” says: “Turkey is taking the Middle East crisis calmly. It is thought that the British may well come out of this much better than the Germans. The British have- an army upon the spot, and experience of handling the Arabs. The Germans can send troops to Iraq only by air, and must rely upon ti general Arab revolt. The Turks will be surprised if tlie Germans find the mass of Hie Arabs willing to serve them.”

The Egyptian Cabinet sat all day on May 17 to discuss events, the gravity of which is evident, says a French news agency message from Cairo. Several Turkish newspapers declare

that Britain must occupy Syria urgently. One paper says she should have done so long ago.

Turks Pass Anns Traffic. An Ankara message reports that : several train-loads of . war materials passed from Syria to Iraq on Friday and Saturday. As the railway passes through Turkey, the Turks, under the convention, must have notified the passage of such materials in excess of one truck-load, but they have no power to hold up traffic. This, however, is not expected to continue, as it is known that stocks of munitions and petrol in ! Syria are short. The French Governor of Syria, M. Deutz, broadcasting from Beirut in French and Arabic, said: “You heard the address of Marshal Retain, which was full of firmness and wisdom. It means that Vichy is determined to secure order and peace for France and her Empire. After the incident at Dakar, England has now seen fit to I attack aerodromes in Syria, under the I pretext that they have been put at the i disposal of the Germans. Actually, I German planes only flew over Syria. “There is nothing to prevent France from defending the independence of her empire. The course of events will only draw France, Syria and Lebanon closer together. Aly task is to defend the skies and soil of Syria, and I am determined to fulfil that duty. We are prepared to meet force by force.” ■ The Cairo correspondent of the ini dependent French news agency says I the National Committee of Frenchmen I in Egypt has drawn up a declaration : In which it protests against the cession i of Syrian aerodromes to Germany. Tbe declaration says:— Legitimate British Defence. •'The committee emphatically del nounces the hypocritical, underhand I character of the concession, which, by creating a new menace to the valiant Imperial troops in the Middle. East, may oblige our ally to take legitimate ■ measures of defence. We know that in i protesting against this last particularly I odious abdication we are acting as the i mouthpiece of ail the French in the I homeland who are obliged to keep i silence.” Bombay reports that the Nizam ot ' Hyderabad has delivered a message io i Moslems in India explaining at length j tlie reasons for Anglo-Indian military measures in Iraq and condemning the I treachery of Rashid Ali. The Nizam I appealed to Moslems to join iu an expression of disapproval of the action of Rashid Ali and his clique, who have offended against the most solemn precept of Islam, which is to honour a pledged word. j RUMOURED FRONTIER CLASH j British And French Troops LONDON, May 18. Today’s Cairo communique, reporting on the campaign in Irak, says that the situation at Basra and Habbania remains calm. It was learnt in London today, that ■ on May 13 British forces occupied a position 25 miles south of Basra witliI out incident. A message from Istanbul says that R.A.F. planes machine-gunned trains i carrying French war materials from Syria to Irak. British and French t troops are reported without confirmaI tion to have clashed on the border of I Syria and Palestine.