REPORTED MASSING OF ALLIED PLANES

Southland Times, Issue 24057, 22 February 1940, Page 7

REPORTED MASSING OF ALLIED PLANES

STATIONS IN EGYPT, SYRIA AND PALESTINE AUSTRALIAN TROOPS REVIEWED BY GENERAL WAVELL (United Press Association—Telegraph Copyright) (Received February 21, 11.30 p.m.) ANKARA, February 21. The Allies are reported to be massing planes in Egypt, Syria and Palestine. The Gaza correspondent of the British United Press says that General Sir Archibald Wavell, who is visiting the Australians, said:— “I see today a good, hard-bitten lot like the Australians of the last war. You’re fine men, as indeed, Australians always are. I see you mean business and I am confident that you will acquit yourselves well.” General Wavell stayed overnight and discussed with commanders the standardization of all troops in the Middle East, whereby units can be rushed to any threatened sector and fight as a single war machine, whether they are Australian, English, French, New Zealand, Indian or African. Discussing the question of partial or general mobilization in Turkey and the probability of the nation entering into war, or a war between foreign nations affecting Turkey, the newspaper Cumhuriyet, which is the mouthpiece of the dominant People’s Party, warns its readers that the coming spring will bring a bitter struggle, but the outcome of the struggle is already known, because the democracies are successfully carrying out their task.”

The War Council is reported to have discussed the coordination of the Turkish and Allied forces under General Maxime Weygand and General Sir Archibald Wavell. A British and French military mission will participate in the Supreme Council discussions.

PREPARATIONS IN TURKEY

The invoking of the National Defence Law in Turkey has caused surprise and some alarm because it was not expected so soon. The National Assembly will probably be meeting immediately to confirm its implementation, but Cabinet might not await the Assembly’s approval before applying the law, which gives the Governemnt power to “fortify the constitution of the nation in matters of economy and national defence. ’ It also restricts the export of currency and travel from Turkey. British engineers are reported to have arrived at Baghdad to prospect for oil in Iraq and Iran. The Italian News Agency publishes a remarkable story of the strange attraction Turkey has for the Russians. A group of Russian infantrymen crossed the Caucasus frontier and took refuge in Turkish territory. The authorities disarmed the soldiers and informed the Soviet that their arms would be put at Russia’s disposal. The Soviet sent a cavalry squadron

to escort the deserters, but when the cavalrymen reached Turkish territory they also refused to return to Russia and are still in Turkey. Confirmation has been received from Istanbul that a number of Russian technicians working in the Kayseri factories has refused to return to the Soviet. Turkey officially ignores the matter. A message from Sofia states that 50 British officers arrived at the Turkish fortified town of Adrianople to assist with the extension of fortifications. Other British artillery engineering experts are supervising fortifications elsewhere in Turkey. Military circles in London deny the report that British experts would assist in fortifying Adrianople, says a London message. The export of all high-grade petrol for aeroplane use is prohibited in Rumania, according to a Bucharest message. Oil can be exported only in crude form, from which only 20 per cent, can be extracted for aeroplane use.