MIDDLE EAST CAMPAIGN

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 July 1941, Page 5

MIDDLE EAST CAMPAIGN

FRENCH LEAVING SYRIA TRANSIT THROUGH TURKEY LONDON, July 15. The Syrian armistice was formally signed at Acre last night. The Commander-in-Chief of the Allied forces in Syria (General Sir Henry Maitland Wilson) represented the British Government and General de Verdillac represented Vichy. A message from Acre states that British and Australian troops will take over Beirut to-day. The Vichy troops, it is understood, are already withdrawing. The convention contained onlv the signatures of General Wilson and General de Verdillac. It is explained that the agreement cannot technically be described as an armistice, since officially there has not been a war in Ankara report states that 14,000 Vichy soldiers are preparing to cross from Syria into Turkey within 48 hours. FRENCH SOLDIER’S DOUBTS LONDON, July 15. A special Middle East British communique records the armistice ceremony at Acre. It describes the document signed as a “convention.” The Acre correspondent of the British United Press says; Australian soldiers watched the ceremony through a window. Theirs were the only smiling faces. After the signing, General Wilson and General De Verdillac in a nearby room, drank to the heroic conclusion of the Syrian campaign and exchanged mutual expressions of confidence as to the futUTlie Haifa correspondent of the Exchange Telegraph Agency says: Vichy Government officers, who were at Acre, went from Haifa, stopping briefly at Beirut. One soldier attached to the French delegation, said: “I wonder wnat we are going to do? The return to France will be difficult, as I now know what our o\yn people think of us now that we have fought the British.” MR. CHURCHILL’S REFERENCE. SPIRIT OF CORDIALITY ~RUGBY, July 15. Speaking in the Commons of Syria, Mr. Churchill said that a military convention, “putting an end to the ■period of fratricidal strife between Frenchmen and Frenchmen, also between Frenchmen and British, Australian and Indian soldiers, all of whom drew the sword of their own free will in defence of France,” hact been signed in a cordial spirit bv both sides. The fact that such relations as existed with the Vichy Government had not been worsened during the campaign, when the forces of both sides acquitted themselves with discipline, skill and gallantry, was proof of the deep apprehension by the peo - pie of France of the true issues at “It is a manifestation of that same spirit, which leads them to wave encouragement to our bombing aircraft, although bombs in the hard xortune of war have to be cast upon French territory, because it is in enemy hands. We seek no British advantage in Syria. Our only object in occupying the country has been to beat the Germans and help to win the war. We rejoice that with the aid of General de Gaulle’s forces, led by General Catroux and General le Gentilhomme. we have been able to bring to the people of Syria and Lebanon the restoration of full sovereign independence. We have liberated them from the thraldom exercised by the German armistice commission, Wiesbaden, and from dangerous German intrigues and infiltrations, which were in progress. The historic interests of France in Syria, and the primacy of those interests over the same interests of other European nations, are preserved without prejudice to the righrs of the sovereignty of the Syrian races.” ’ . In concluding the statement, Mr. Churchill said: Anyone who months ago, when the British Minister at Baghdad was a prisoner, in his own legation, and Syria and Iraq began to be overrun by German tourists, had predicted that by mid-July the whole Levant would be cleaned up and British authority re-established there, would have been considered a most imorudent prophet. Mr. Churchill added that the heavy intensive fighting by our army at Solium and the stubborn defence in Crete, in which grievous losses were inflicted on enemy airpower, must be judged to have played their part in arriving at the general result.

TERMS OF CONVENTION. “FULL HONOURS OF WAR”

RUGBY, July 15. Full honours of war are granted to the French forces in Syria and Lebanon under the terms of the convention ending hostilities, and agreed to by Generals Wilson and de Verdillac. The following is a summary of the terms of the convention, issued by the War Office announcement: — Hostilities ceased July 11. Allied forces will occupy Syro-Lebanese territory. The concentration of French forces in selected areas by noon on July 15, will be followed immediately by Allied occupation of certain strategic points. French troops remain.under French command with restricted establishment up to the time of repatriation. „ In the Jebel Druze area, French troops, fox' security reasons, will remain in garrison until relieved by British troops. An immediate replacement of the French by the occupying forces will be carried out in the principal localities of Syria and Lebanon. Minefields on sea or land will be disclosed to the occupying authorities. With full honours of war, the French forces will retire to restricted areas with all arms. They will be permitted to retain individual arms, but only sufficient ammunition in each unit for security purposes. The gendarmerie will retain arms and limited ammunition. All other wax’ material will be stocked under British control, inspected, and taken over if required, the remainder being destroyed by the French under British control. Prisoners of the Allied forces will be set free including those transferred to France. Prisoners will be released when the Syro-Lebanese territory is occupied, and convention claims fulfilled. The choice between rallying to the Allied cause, and repatriation, will be left to the individual, military 0£ civil. Individual applications to remain in occupied area will be considered from civilians, not rallying to the Allied cause. Recently executive officials (specified in the protocol), will remain at ports until the repatriation, or the efficient working of the administration.

French ships may repatriate French troops and subjects who opted therefore, and the holdings of such will be transferred in accordance with terms to be arranged. The rights of French cultural institutions will be respected if not in conflict with Allied military interests. Public services will be maintained, and handed over intact, as well as all means of communication. Port installations, naval establishments, ships, including British, in Syrian-Lebanese territorial waters, aircraft, and air installations and equipment and fuel stocks will be handed over intact. British aircraft will be empowered to use the air bases and alighting areas. Currency and other means of payiment will be safeguarded.

The right is reserved to take inlo service “troupes specials delevant” progressively, arms being , handed over to the British. The British authorities will not prosecute native Syrian and Lebanese involved in the recent hostilities. A “commission of control” of five members, three nominated by the British and two by the Frencn, will, at Beirut, carry the terms into effect. The convention is drawn up in English and French, the English text, being authoritative. Regarding the cessation of hostilities in Syria, a communique issued by British Headquarters in Cairo statesAction is now in progress to give effect to the terms of the convention signed yesterday.—B.O.W. AUSTRALIAN AIRMEN SYDNEY, July 15. The Minister for Air (Mr McEwen) has. revealed that in the three days before the cessation of hostilities in Syria, the Royal Australian Air Force using Tomahawk fighters, destroyed 19 Vichy aircraft for the loss of only one Australian aircraft. ~RUGBY, July 15. An R.A.F. Middle East communique states-“ Bomber aircraft of the R.A.F. yesterday carried out an attack on the aerodrome at Zuara, in Tripolitania. Bombs were seen to hit the aerodrome buildings. A number of enemy transport aircraft on the ground were damaged by machinegun fire. One JUS2 was set on fire. “During the night of July 13/14. heavy bombers raided Bardia and Benghazi, causing a number of explosions and fires. , x “A JU 88 and a Savoia 79 were shot down by our aircraft in the Western Desert during recent operations. “Our fighters attacked and severely damaged a Savoia 79 which aporoached the Syrian, coast, yesterday. The enemy aircraft was last seen out at sea, emitting clouds of black smoke, and it appeared unlikely to reach its base. “All our planes returned safely. — 8.0.W. ACTIVITY AT TOBRUK. ’RUGBY, July 15. A communique issued by British Headquarters in Cairo states: “In Libya, offensive patrols from our forces at Tobruk have been active. In a recent hand-to-hand encounter, we captured priosners and inflicted many casualties on the enemy, who were surprised in their positions. So successful was one of these raids that it was incorrectly described in an enemy communique as a serious attempt to break out of Tobruk. . . „ “There is no change in Abyssinia. —8.0.W. ITALIAN CLAIMS. LONDON, July 15. The Rome News Agency says: “The British in the Solium sector early on Sunday tried to surprise our advanced detachments with tanks, which were supported b.y artillery. Our detachments immediately foiled the attemot. They did not even allow the enemy to approach our first line. “The enemy in the Tobruk area on Sunday night, launched a violent attack on our positions, with several hundred men who were armed with automatic weapons and anti-tank guns. Our troops withstood the attack and repulsed the enemy.” SUEZ CANAL RAIDED. LONDON, July 15. It is officially reported from Cairo that a raid was made yesterday on the Suez Canal. Some bombs were dropped, causing a few casualties and slight damage. There was also an airraid warning sounded at Alexandria.