MIDDLE EAST TOUR

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 173, 18 April 1942, Page 7

MIDDLE EAST TOUR

General Auchinleck’s Inspection (Briitielh Ofilclul Wireless.) RUGBY, April 16. General Auchinleck, G.0.C., Middle East, who recently completed a farreaching inspection tour of the 9th and 10th Armies, visited Iran, Iraq, Syria, Transjordania and Palestine, and inspected units of the powerful British Imperial and Allied forces which stand these great areas. He conferred with Service commanders and diplomatic and political personages. In base areas and at.transit reinforcement camps along the lines of communication, and in the forward fortified positions, he inspected many varied unite, including British, Indian, Australian, New Zealand and Allied troops and the Arab legion of the Transjordan Frontier Force. He visited the oil refineries at Abadan and General Berg before conferring with General Catroux, leader of the Middle East Free French forces, in Damascus. A Middle East communique says that British patrols were active on Wednesday harassing (lie enemy throughout the day. An’ R.A.F. (Middle East) communique states that fighter aircraft maintained their offensive activities over a forward area in Cyrenaica throughout Wednesday. An enemy convoy, escorted by destroyers and a mixed force of fighters and bombers, was attacked by torpedo-carrying aircraft in the Central Mediterranean on Tuesday. Explosions were seen among the merchant ships and two MellO’s were shot down into the sea. From all operations, including defence over Malta, seven of our aircraft are missing.