SYRIAN CAMPAIGN

Grey River Argus, 19 July 1941, Page 6

SYRIAN CAMPAIGN

\ LONDON, July 17. ) The casualties to the Vichy forces v in Syria totalled between 4,000 .and o 5,000 including 1,000 killed, accordi ing to Free French sources. A' total e of 45,000 Vichy troops were engaged 1 in the war, including 10,000 Syrians and Lebanese, and 5,000 men of tne ! Foreign Legion. . ‘ The “Daily Telegraph s ’ Beirut 2 correspondent says: Before his departure, General Dentz told ia gathering of Frenchmen that they had ‘ been dealing with people who dis- ; played much understanding, and be- , haved like lighting veterans. The I armistice terms were more favourable than he expected they would 5 be, and would have been even more so,’ but for some de Gaulle supporters. Thousands of refugees, who were • driven to Turkey by the Vichy anti--1 Semitic policy and lack of 'com- • modifies, particularly food, due to the effective British blockade, are ■ preparing to return to Syria. The disarmament of 11 French ' ships lying at Alexandretta has been completed under Turkish supervision. .The crews have been interned. I RUGBY, July 17. 1 A General Headquarters. Cairo, I communique, states: Libya: At Tobruk, on the night of July 15/16. an (Australian lighting patrol penetrated i for 600 yards enemy positions, and (successfully assaulted two strongI points. After inflicting enemy casualties substantially greater th|an the strength of the patrol itself, our troops withdrew. By dash and determination. the patrol again surI prised and outmanoeuvred the enemy locally, in greatly superior numbers and well-entrenched positions. Frontier area patrols from our armoured forces,, admirably supported by mobile artillery, have been (active, inflicting casualties upon the ! enemy in personnel' and material. I Abyssinia: Our pressure is increasing upon the enemy forces holding Wolchelit Pass, north of Gondar. ! During a local advance on July 15, our troops gained an important position and dispersed a counter-attack (with loss to the enemy. I Syria: Under the terms of the convention, the Allied forces have now occupied selected strategic points. , Central and south-east Syria': Bri- ' • ti&h and Indian troops, whose rapid ( advance from Iraq and Palestine. was ( arrested only when the negotiations i for a cessation of hostilities were ■ initiated, are now in process of oc- ■ cupying further (positions in .(Che northern area. The occupation of , < Beirut has been completed. A cor- • dial reception was accorded to the. ; Allied forces, particularly the Aus- : tralian troops, who have been in the < forefront of the advance in the , i coastal sectors. —8.0.W.