GERMAN PLANS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23965, 15 May 1941, Page 9

GERMAN PLANS

MIDDLE EAST DRIVE PAPEN, DOVE OF PEACE WITHDRAWAL OF IRAKIS (Rocd. 0.30 p.m.) ANKARA, May 14 The German Ambassador to Tuykey, Von Papon, on his return to 'Ankara from Germany, told friends;—"l arrive as a dove of peace tearing an olive branch. You may all spend the summer at the .seaside. w Von Papon conferred with the Italian Ambassaor. Von Papon began his talks with the Turkish Government yesterday. The New York Times' Budapest correspondent, Mr. Hay Brock, says that German military circles informed him that the German High Command would make a second spring offensive, via Turkey, between .Tune 1 and June 10. into Irak across Syria, aiming to seize British petroleum and drive the British from North Africa. Palestine Reinforcements The Germans, "he snvs, are now concentrating huge forces at Greek ports and moving steadily, via Thrace and Bulgaria, to the Turkish frontier from which they intend to launch an overpowering offensive that they expect will bring Turkey to heel within a fortnight. , . Mr. Brock says that, in spite of insistence of well-informed Turks that Turkey will fight ratiher than capitulate, the few remaining neutral diplomats in Belgrade are convinced that Turkey w ill submit. According to a Vichy news agency message from Beirut, there has been great activity at Haifa. After the operations in Greece many cargo Rhips full of war material, including tanks, arrived from Britain. The garrisons at Nablus and .Tenin, in Palestine, have been reinforced, and the frontier of Palestine and Syria is being strictly watched. Irak Targets Bombed The situation in Irak is described as stabilised. British mechanised forces have completed the occupation of Rutba. It ash id Ali's forces are now on the Alfulluja line, 12 to 20 miles from Habbaniyah. The Royal Air Force continues to bomb military- objectives throughout the country. It has also dropped 750.000 pamphlets. It has been decided not to bomb Rashid Ali's radio stations in view of the thickly popu lated districts around them.

An Irak General Staff communique asserta that the Irakis are masters of tho situation in western Irak, where, thoy claim, British armoured forces were repulsed in violent fighting around Rutba.

IRISHMAN ON CHARGER GUERILLA WAR LEADER PROGRESS IN'ABYSSINIA (Reed. 7.10 rm.) LONDON, May J3 Riding on a charger and wearing a blue cloak fastened round the neck with a gold clasp embossed with the Lion of Judah, an Irishman, Captain Thomas Henfrey, is leading an army of Abyssinian patriots conducting intense guerilla warfare over tho Abyssinian mountains and marshland and around the lakes, says a British official wireless message. Captain Henfrey has seen service in the Khyber Pass, Saudi Arabia and Italian Somaliland. His irregulars are called "Henfrey's Scouts." The only Europeans with him are a second-in-command and a non-commissioned officer. The chief of staff is an Ethiopian trained for three years at Saint Cj'r, the French military academy. A further 200 Italians were captured by British troops advancing on Amba Alagi. Operations in this area continue to develop satisfactorily. In the south, in spite of heavy rain, British forces are continuing their advance. The southern force is at Maiceu, and is thus separated by less than 20 miles from the northern force.

In southern Abyssinia British troops have now occupied the last enemy position in the Wadara neighbourhood. The British are in contact with the enemy north of Sciascimannia. In the lakes district south of Addis Ababa British troops successfully assaulted enemy positions, inflicting heavy casualties and capturing 13 Italians and 143 African prisoners.

LORD BEAVERBROOK NEW TASKS ANNOUNCED LONDON, May 13 The Prime Minister, Mr. Churchill, stated in the House of Commons that Lord Beaverbrook would discharge the special Cabinet duties assigned to a member of the Defence Committee of the War Cabinet, says a British official wireless message. Lord Beaverbrook would also act as a referee on priority questions. INFLUENCES ON FRANCO MADRID, May 13 The Falangist organ Arriba says: "It, would be an extreme impertinence to believe that General Franco is at the mercy of tortuous influences and to address to him public warnings which might be regarded as threats."