PLANS FOR SPAIN

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 42, 18 August 1941, Page 8

PLANS FOR SPAIN

AMBITIONS OF NAZIS

EYES ON GIBRALTAR

MASSING OF FORCES

(By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.) (Rec. 2.30 p.m.) LONDON, August 17.

The massing of troops on and near the Spanish territory nearest to Gibraltar is reported by the special correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph" in the Western Mediterranean.

Spanish troops in Morocco are not fewer than 350,000, and are steadily increasing, with small reinforcements from Spain, possibly averaging 100, arriving daily.

Spanish-born troops are concentrated chiefly on the plains to the west of Spanish Morocco. The native units are more numerous in the eastern mountains. The German advisers in Morocco are very discreet, little being seen of them.

Two panzer and three motorised I divisions believed to. be on the j Pyrenees border of Spain apparently have not been increased recently, but they total not fewer than 100,000 men. BOAST OF THE GERMANS. ! The Germans boast that they could' cross Spain to Gibraltar in 60 hours. The realisation of the German plans for eventual action on the Iberian Peninsula depends very much on the Spanish attitude, and also on events in French Morocco. The Germans apparently are not demanding immediate participation in their plans from Vichy, but there is slow'infiltration of German units to important bases. It is significant that the German armistice commission has locked up the French army's war material in Morocco and Senegal with the evident intention of using it themselves. A large-scale movement will probably occur when the important bases are well soaked with Germans.

The only active collaboration immediately required vfrom the French will be naval. The French navy certainly is the only body of Frenchmen ready to accept, if not to welcome, war with Britain.

Efficient units of the French fleet are concentrated at Casablanca and at Dakar.