EUROPEAN TROUBLES

Grey River Argus, 14 May 1943, Page 5

EUROPEAN TROUBLES

Plot Against Laval 150 SUSPECTS ARRESTED

(Rec. 7.40.) LONDON, May 13. The Berne correspondent of the British Associated Press says: The Gestapo arrested 150 suspects at Vichy a a result of a letter from Hitler to Marshal Petain warning him of a plot to overthrow M. Laval. Many Government officials were among those arrested, who include Admiral Platoon. Commander of the port of Dunkirk at the time of the evacuation, and whom M. Laval dismissed from his Cabinet last March. Hitler’s letter warned Marshal Petain that his Government contained a distrustful element which must be eliminated in order to prevent a coup d’etat.

Yugoslav Fighting ITALIANS DEFEATED.

RUGBY, May 12

In a bitter battle lasting several days, Jugoslav patriots scored a great victoy over the Italians in the mountains of Montenegro. The Italians were utterly defeated and are retreating, leaving 476 dead and 730 prisoners. The patriots captured much booty, including seven tanks, 20 lorries (five of which were loaded with ammunition), four heavy guns, and 70 machine-guns.

ITALIAN LEADER KILLED. (Rec. 7.40.) LONDON. May 13. A Zurich message says: It is reported from Milan that Colonel Pallaroni, commanding the Italian troops operating against the partisans in Croatia, has been killed in action.

UNREST IN BULGARIA. LONDON, May 12

According to the Algiers radio, the Bulgarian, Georgi Dimitrov, Secre-tarv-General of the Communist International, who went to Moscow after his acquittal at Germany’s Reichstag fire trial in 1938, is now in Bulgaria, arousing opposition to the Nazis. His appeal to the Bulgarians is: “Sabotage the war; oppose the Nazis with all your might!”

FAMINE IN FRANCE. LONDON, May 12

Emphasising France’s desperate food situation, the Paris radio’s commentator. Jean Paquis, declared that France would soon be a country of dead and half-dead people which, the Allies would not need to invade. “Millions of Frenchmen ar e hungry because of the incompetence of a handful of men who do not know how to deal with the food situation. Frenchmen have to live on rations which the ‘black market’ is generous enough to leave in the shpps. The Government’s ’black market’ regulations are not only out-of-date, but are usually applied bv madmen. It would need an army of hangmen to deal with France’s ‘black marketeers’ One would think an underground sabotage organisation was handling the ‘black market’ m France. French peasants last year slaughtered over 200,000 cattle illegally. The Government needs to take ruthless steps to avoid a disaster.”

ITALIAN KING TO ABDICATE. LONDON, May 12.

The “Daily Telegraph” quotes a report circulating in America that Italy’s King, Victor Emmanuel may abdicate at anv moment in favour oi the Crown Prince Umberto.

greater cause to lament the approach of the war to her dou-. J .o t .

gHippiNG IN MEDITERRANEAN.

LONDON, May 11. The United States Secretary of the Navy) (Colonel Knok) told his Press conference in Washington that the victory in Tunisia would open 'the Mediterranean to Allied shipping, regardless of the Luftwaffe. He declined to estimate how long it would be before tne Mediterranean was opened with supply ships opei citing under an Allied air umbrella based on the northern rim of Africa, but he pointed out the tremendous advantage resulting from the shortened routes to the Middle East, averaging 5000 miles. He said that an air umbrella would double the tonnage able to pass through. Colonel Knox admitted that the Axis possession of airfields in Sicily and Crete increased the dangers of the Mediterranean passage and he observed that Allied possession ol Sicily obviously would be a tremendous asset. He refused to answer questions about the possibility) of Allied seizure of Sicily and Crete, saying: “Now you are . dealing in terms that might suggest our future plans.”

THREAT TO PANTELLARIA LONDON, May 12. Pantellaria is immediately threatened by the Allied victory in Africa says Reuter’s military; correspondent. Heavy continuous bombing of Italian bases and airfields during the past week, coupled with the plain hint from Col. Knox that Sicily would be a tremendous military asset, point to the shape of things to come, but it would not be surprising if Pantellaria were liquidated first. Mussolini undoubtedly spent vast sums and great labour in making it as strongly, fortified as possible but, it will be interesting to compare Pantellaria’s powers of endurance with those of Malta. The strength of Pantellaria’s fortifications .and the underground shelters is now being severely tested. In five days there have been six heavy raids, all on greater scale than any Malta suffered. The Columbia broadcasting system’s Algiers correspondent quotes a bomber navigator, after a raid on Marsala as saying: “After two days’ bombing there will not be any use ■ in going back where Marsala was.” To-day’s Italian communique states that four-engined planes bombed Catania, 'Marsala. Trapani, and Pantellaria and caused considerable damage. About 150 were killed I and 300 injured at Catania. Figures for the raid on Palermo on May 9 are given at 210 killed and 321 in -, jured.

Second Front Barrage

RADIO CAMPAIGN FROM NORTH AFRICA.

(Rec. 12.55.) LONDON, May 13. Reuter’s Algiers correspondent gays: “Four words—Yesterday Africa, Europe to-morrow —are being drummed into the ears of the French listeners from North African radio stations.” Around this slogan Allied transmitters arg building up a tremendous Second Front barrage. Such phrases as: “We promise you liberation;” “Tunisia is only a rehearsal;” “We will march down Champs Elyses,” are being broadcast worldwide. ■. The Algiers radio said: We have more arms, more tanks, more vehicles, and more aircraft, than the Axis. We have the means to bring them to you. We are on our way. Prepare yourselves for the battle for Europe which is about to begin. The Vichy radio quotes a Rome report that Mussolini has ordered all Fascists to keep themselves at the disposal of the Government and to be realy for all emergencies at short notice.