SOUTHERN ITALY

Evening Star, Issue 24008, 6 October 1941, Page 8

SOUTHERN ITALY

R.A.F. BOMBING RAID IMPORTANT RAILWAY JUNCTION STRAFED (British Official Wireless.) (Rec. 11.5 a.m.) S£IUGBY, October 5, An R.A.F. Middle East communique says the R.A.F. on October 3 successfully attacked for the first time the important railway junctions, power station, and munition factory at Marina di Catanzaro, in the “ tie ” of Italy. The raid was made from a low level and hits were obtained on all objectives, causing considerable damage. A stationary supply train in the junction was also machine-gunned. One of the R.A.F. pilots who participated in the attack had to lift his wing-tip oyer a factory chimney to reach his objective, and skimmed housetops in villages. A sergeant observer said they could see the people in the streets. “ They were shading their ejes as they looked. We were all quite low enough for- them to see our markings, so they could not have thought we were Italians, but it did not seem to worry them.” The bombers blew up a number of factories and buildings and created havoc among the warehouses, the power station, and the railway goods depot, and siding. PRESSURE ON THAILAND JAPAN'S SOUTHWARD MARCH EFFORT TO CONCLUDE AGREEMENT NEW YORK, October 4. There are indications that Japan is increasing her diplomatic pressure on Thailand, reports the Saigon correspondent of the Associated Press. Japanese quarters in Saigon state frankly that an agreement with Thailand is one of the most important objectives of Japan’s southward march, and it is hoped to achieve this in a peaceful manner. The Japanese in Indo-China. to-day began military manoeuvres which disclosed troops, tanks, and other equipment sufficient for a full-scale campaign.

The Bangkok correspondent of the Japanese paper, ‘ Asahi Shimbun,’ states that Thailand'is fast assuming a pro-British colour, because of British political machinations, with the result that intensified friction and strife between the country’s pro-British and proJapanese elements are occurring.

" MATCH FUR ANYBODY " SINGAPORE’S GREAT STRENGTH (Rec. 8 a.m.) SAN FRANCISCO, October 5. Rear-admiral T. B. Drew, who has supervised the fortification of Singapore’s naval base during the past two years, has arrived from the Far East en route to London. He told interviewers that Singapore was now a match for anybody, and added; “In strengthening Singapore we accomplished seven years’ work in two. Malaya is not dependent on the rest of the world for raw materials, and has goods sufficient to maintain her existence.” The United States Minister in Thailand (Mr Hugh Grant) has arrived in San Francisco from the Far East en route to Washington. He declared: “ It is essential that the United States should maintain a very firm policy if wo are to hold our position in the Far East. The Japanese have completely dominated Indo-China, and will continue the campaign in East Asia if possible. There are indications that they have already started some movement against Russia.” It was announced at Singapore to-day that Australian troops had landed to reinforce the forces in Malaya. The contingent included New Zealand airmen. UNITED STATES ATTITUDE GROWING RESENTMENT IN JAPAN (Rec. 12.20 p.m.) NEW YORK, October 5. “ Press hostility and general resentment against America are rising daily ■in Japan,” says the New York * Herald-Tribune ’ Tokio correspondent. ‘‘The more aggressive United States attitude in the Pacific and the indefinite prolongation of the JapaneseAmerican talks have aroused the fear that President Roosevelt is engaging in strategy immobilising Japan and simultaneously weakening her economic position without any serious intention of offering acceptable terms.”

CLASH WITH FRENCH POLICE (Rec. noon.) LONDON, Oct. 6. Three French military police were killed and several Thai border police wounded in a clash on the Thailand-Indo-China border. Bangkok newspapers report the incident without details. EIRE’S DANGER DE VALERA'S WARNING WANTS NEITHER OLD NOR NEW MASTER (Rec. noon.) LONDON, Oct. 5. “ God for two years has saved Eire from involvement in a savage war, but the nation remains in the greatest danger,” said Mr de Valera, in a. speech at a defence force rally in Dublin. “ Numerically small, wc are in a geographical position obviously tempting to both sets of combatants, and nothing but constant vigilance and unflinching determination can save us. The Irish people want neither the old master nor a new one. Small nations in the path of groat Powers arc generally treated with scant consideration, but so far our rights have been mostly respected. I think it only fair to acknowledge that the belligierent nearest us Great Britain—despite temptations and the urgings of certain propagandists, has not succumbed to them, and has not believed unworthily., t