RAPID TEMPO

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23994, 18 June 1941, Page 7

RAPID TEMPO

SYRIAN OPERATIONS SUFFER RESISTANCE AREA NEAR DAMASCUS LONDON, Juno 17 Australian and .British forces from Sidon and Djpzzin am within sight of Beirut and Kayak. They are meeting trouble from French tanks and artillery, hut the Royal ! Navy is replying effectively. Its shelling completely halted one column, which then retreated in disorder. The forces from Die/.zin have made contact with the coastal troops, and tho action is proceeding in a series of cavalry and other fast-moving operations. On the eastern wing the coastal drive has reached the heights above Hasbeiva, which is reported to have been evacuated. The shelling of ]\lerjiynn from Hasbeiva has ceased, seemingly confirming the withdrawal of the Vichy forces northward. Powerful Allied Forces The Yichv leaders claim that their troops attacked the regions of Merjivun and El Qiineitra, but the Allies from El Quneitra crossed the Nahrawaj and are moving on toward Sasa. The opposition of the Vichy forces is stiffening, particularly in the area between Kiswe and Damascus. Allied troops have now readied points miles and ten miles south-west of Damascus. This is the nearest they have been to the capital. Another report states that Allied troops are 20 miles from Beirut. It is authoritatively stated in Jem-j salem that very powerful Allied forces | are now outside Damascus, but, owing j to the nature of the terrain to the southward and eastward, it may be necessary to encircle the city and enter from the north. Vichy authorities say the defenders of Damascus are taking the offensive j in three directions. They admit the fall of Kiswe, but claim that a counterattack regained some ground in that area. Indians Take Village Two Indian battalions captured Kiswe and an important hill beyond, called Tel kiswe, in spite of defence by five battalions of Vichv troops with artillery. One Indian battalion cleared the village after hand-to-hand fighting, while the other went on and took the I hill.

An Ankara report says a British column from Irak has reached the Syrian coast just south of Alexandretta. Reports from Beirut declare that French warships and naval aeroplanes battled all day long on Sunday with British warships, including aircraftcarriers, in a series of actions oil Sidon. French warships were re-engaged by two British cruisers and four destroyers at dawn yesterday off Beirut.

NO STREET FIGHTING

THE FALL OF SIDON ENTRY OF AUSTRALIANS (Herd. 12.15 a.m.) LONDON, June 17 The operations which resulted in the fall of Sidon were so well carried out by the Australians that there was neither sniping nor street fighting when the troops entered. The deadly accuracy of the two days of shelling had rendered all military objectives untenable. The Mayor surrendered the town as the last French elements withdrew. He conducted the Australian infantry from the outskirts, pointing out machine-gun posts and snipers' nests. The town fell at mid-day on Sunday and lite returned to normal that afternoon. The inhabitants, although at first resentful after spending many hours underground, thawed and showed signs of relief. No damage was done to houses, but the roads wore littered with wrecked transport. while observation posts had been battered and lines of communication potholcd through the faultless gunnery of the attackers.

Many officers opposed to the Vichy regime declared Sidon would have been abandoned without resistance if General Dentz had not visited the town on June 10 for the purpose of stiffening morale.

OUST GOVERNMENT PLANS OF LABOUR AUSTRALIA'S WAR EFFORT SYDNEY, Juno 17 The official New South Wales Labour Conference on Monday passed a resolution urging that immediate steps should he taken to oust the Menzics Government from office with a view to forming a Labour administration to develop the Commonwealth war effort to it.* fullest capacity. The conference reaffirmed its hostility to conscription and affirmed the principle that the manufacture of armaments should lie nationalised.