ARMISTICE SIGNATURE

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 July 1941, Page 5

ARMISTICE SIGNATURE

GENERAL DENTZ’S POWERS VICHY GIVES FREE HAND « LONDON, July 14. The Vichy correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain says General Dentz, the Vichy High Commissioner, is awaiting .technical counsels before finally signing the armistice. He insists that these counsels are not binding and that the Government is leaving all responsibility to General Dentz, who is empowered to make only military arrangements and not to reach any accord in the political aspects of the British proposals. German news agencies insist that no armistice has yet been signed in Syria, but that the Vichy leaders have merely initialled an agreement for the cessation of hostilities, and that General Dentz must refer the terms back to Vichy. The semi-official Vichy News Agency, however, states that General Dentz has been given power to take the necessary steps to conclude an armistice. * There has been no subsequent official statement from Vichy ratifying the armistice. The Vichy radio, in announcing the armistice, said that after 35 days of hard fighting an armistice was signed before midnight on July 12, but fighting continued, until the morning of that day. FURTHER MEETING AT ACRE RUGBY, July 14. A Cairo communique states: In Libya and Abyssinia there is no change. The Syrian armistice terms, initialled at Acre, are now being considered. A further meeting is taking place at Acre to-day to consider the auestion of signature. Meanwhile hostilities are suspended. SIGNATURE ANNOUNCED (Recd. 1 p.m.) LONDON, July 14. The Vichy Official News Agency says: France was able to transform an insolent political ultimatum to which she was unable to subscribe without dishonour, into an honourable military convention. Marshal Petain in a message to the French people in Syria, said: France is about, to suffer a painful eclipse in the Levant. Addressing the Vichy forces, he said: After a month of unequal fighting, vou must lay down arms.— U.P.A. TRIBUTES TO AUSTRALIANS (Rec. 1 p.m.) LONDON, July 14. The Associated Press correspondent with the Australians says: Outside Beirut, thousands of troops are swimming in the sea or dozing in the shade of the olive trees, thankful of the chance to relax after a hard campaign. No word is spoken between men of the two sides. The Australians have been instructed to keep clear of no man’s land. “

Reuter’s war correspondent pays high tribute to the fighting qualities of the Australian soldiers. He says that the geographical features favoured the defenders, who fought bravely. It was remarkable that the Allies were able to break the resistance so soon. Captured documents indicated that Vichy had prepared for nine months’ hostilities. The manner in which the Australians captured Damour, in face of ferocious enemy fire, astonished the military leaders. Merjiyun will always be associated with the bravery of rne Australian pioneer corps, who held the fort alongside a famous Scottisn regiment, though greatly outnumbered.

ENEMY CONVOY DESTROYED. RUGBY, July 14. An R.A.F. Headquarters Middle East communique states: Libya: Bomber aircraft carried out successful attacks on an enemy convoy outside Tripoli, yesterday. A 7000 tons ship was hit, set on fire, and destroyed. Huge columns of black smoke rose to a great height from the vessel. One three-masted schooner, apparently carrying oil or munitions, blew up when hit by a bomb. Another 1000 tons vessel was hit and was seen to be burning steadily. Several large bombs were also dropped on ships inside the harbour. On the night of July 11/12, R.A.F. heavy bombers attacked the harbour at Benghazi and the aerodrome at Derna. A JUBB was shot down by one of our fighters off the Libyan coast or>. July 12. Rhodes: During the night of July 12/13, R.A.F. heavy bombers raided enemy aerodromes on the Island of Rhodes. At Calato, bombs fell on the landing ground and dispersal area, causing explosions and fires. At the Haritza aerodrome, buildings and hangars were hit and left burning strongly. A number- of heavy explosions were caused. Dispersed aircraft are believed to have been destroyed, and the forest to the east of the aerodrome was left burning. Fires and explosions were also caused on the aerodrome at Kattavia. From these operations, all our aircraft returned safely.—B.O.W, GERMAN PLANS CHECKED.

(Rec. 1.15 p.m.) LONDON, July 14. General Romnel’s African army, comprising two German Panzer divisions., three mechanised divisions, and thirteen Italian divisions, at present, has insufficient suitable material for a daring inland southward drive against Egypt, which the German High Command planned, says the “Telegraph’s” correspondent in North Africa. The Germans are awaiting more material, which is still slipping across the Mediterranean from Sicily to Tripoli. The losses of enemv supply ships are estimated at 25 per cent, and rising. The Germans are very interested in the construction of a road which the French are pushing on between Columb Bechar and the Niger River. The Germans demand that this route must be usable by September. This seems impossible, but the demand indicates the importance which th 2 Germans attach to tanping effectively West African tungsten oil. rubber and cotton. The “Daily Express,” quoting a neutral from Marseilles, says: Sixty thousand French metropolitan troops have been shipped to Morocco with the object of helping Weygand’s army to meet possible American action against French Africa. The ports oi Marseilles, Ville Franche and Port Vendre have been closed for the last two weeks. The entire aviation base at Clermont Ferrand, including planes, repair equipment, and mechanics, have been shipped to Morocco. BRITAIN’S LONG FRONT ANKARA; July 14. Mr. Carl Sulzberger, a correspondent of the “New York Times,’ says that, with Syria conquered, prepara - tions have already begun to defend the front from Egypt to India, and particularly the Iranian border, against a possible German thrust from the Russian Caucasus. The Quetta Command in Baluchistan has been considerably reinforced, the armv in Iraq has been expanded, and the Turkish newspapers are hinting of war in Iran to prevent Germany getting the Iranian oilfields.