MORE TROOPS IN IRAQ

Southland Times, Issue 24437, 17 May 1941, Page 7

MORE TROOPS IN IRAQ

UNITS FROM INDIA SITUATION SAID TO BE EASING (Rec. 7.15 p.m.) LONDON, May 15. A British officer from Iraq, interviewed in Cairo, declared:— “With the arrival of reinforcements from India the situation is easing. We are confident, we can handle it. In the last few days I have seen several unidentified planes, probably German, flying over Iraq. They sheered off quickly on the approach of British planes. “The Iraqis are tough soldiers, but they are easily influenced and the Royal Air Force and the Imperial forces put the Iraqi Air Force out of action without having to employ very devastating methods. The Iraqi Army in isolated sections took the offensive in spirited fashion, but generally it was not prepared for major engagements. They surrendered in large numbers when they were up against it. The rising was entirely the product of German propaganda. The Germans, through Rashid Ali, paid four Iraqi generals £lOO each in cash to lead the revolt.

The Bagdad radio said that Russia was allowing her pilots to volunteer to fight in Iraq. This was a “personal reprisal” for British help to Finland.

It is learned in Cairo that Abdul Illah, the exiled Iraqi Regent, has gone to Basra from Amman.

The German News Agency said the first group of Syrian volunteers had gone to Iraq. The Germans say preparations are under way to land more British troops and materials at Basra. AIR RAIDS ON CYPRUS AND CRETE (Rec. 1 a.m.) LONDON, May 16. Cyprus was bombed for the first time by small forces of Italian bombers. The damage was slight. There was considerable air activity over Crete and two towns were bombed. Five enemy planes were shot down. The Istanbul correspondent of The Times says that reports from various sources indicate the imminence of a large-scale attack on Crete with combined operations of the Luftwaffe, the Italian Navy and landing forces launched from the Dodecanese ■und the Cyclades Islands and from the Peloponnesus. MORE TROOPS ARRIVE AT SINGAPORE SINGAPORE, May 15. It is officially announced that a large number of troops from Britain has arrived, consisting of Army, Air Force and naval reinforcements. The army units, which comprise the bulk of the forces, included all arms of the service.