CAPTURE OF SYRIA

Grey River Argus, 22 July 1941, Page 5

CAPTURE OF SYRIA

1,300 ALLIED PRISONERS RETURNING FROM ALLIED CAMPS tAus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] LONDON July 20. Thirteen hundred Allied officers and men, made prisoners in the Syrian campaign, have reached Baa'lbeck from camps in north Syria. The first contingent included Australians made prisoners at Mezze and Merjiyun. Tne men said they were well treated, but the food was indifferent. It is understood that about 20 officers taken to France are being returned to Syria. . , A notice has been published in the newspapers, inviting Frenchmen desiring to enrol with the Free French, to report to army headquarters. The Allied troops occupy all the towns in Syria and Lebanon except Tripoli, which is reserved for the French forces, until they are repatriated from Syria’.

Removal of French DESIRED TO AVERT FIFTH COLUMNISM. LONDON, July 20. The Syrian correspondent of the London “Daily Telegraph” states: ■ “Tripoli is at present reserved for the army of the Vichy Government until those troops are repatriated. There is no longer any reason why General Dentz and his staff, who declare that they recognise only the authority of Vichy, should be allowed to remain in Syria. Publication in Beirut of statements by Marshal Petain and General Dentz has provoked bitter comment. Marshal Petain had said France was about to suffer an eclipse in the Levant and General Dentz declared the armistice terms would have been more favourable but for the influence of General de Gaulle’s supporters. When about to hand over the ports at Beirut, the senior officials of the Vichy Government permitted these sta’te--1 ments to be published, and this action emphasises the danger of allowing Vichyite supporters, to remain in the country. The continued presence of anti-Britishers may result in a sapping of Allied authority, with a corresponding increase in Fifth Column activity. Moselms in Syria ATTITUDE UNCERTAIN. LONDON,’ July 20. The Beirut correspondent of “The Times” says: The German military victories, as recounted over the German radio, have dazzled the Moslems. The Moslems are also momentarily afraid to collaborate with the British,’ following German propaganda that the Germans are returning to Syria in September, and threatening drastic treatment to those nelping the 1 African Fronts BRITISH PATROL'S ACTIVITY IN NORTH. (8.0.W.) RUGBY, July 20. A communique issued at Cairo headquarters states: Apart from artillery activity on both sides, there is nothing important to report from the Tobruk area. In the frontier area, our patrols succeeded in rdicovering and towing in enemy armoured cars, damaged in the action reported yesterday. In Abyssinia, there is nothing to report. Our occupation of the northern area of Syrih is continuing smoothly. ENEMY AIR RAID. ON ALEXANDRIA. (Rec. 9.0). LONDON. July 21. One l person was killed and eleven were injured in an air raid on Alexandria on Sunday. The damage was slight.