“DOVE OF PEACE” ARRIVES

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIX, Issue 21963, 15 May 1941, Page 5

“DOVE OF PEACE” ARRIVES

Von Papen Back In Ankara • Turkey Passes Defence Vote By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Rec. 11.25 p.m.) ANKARA, May 14. Von Papen (German Ambassador to Turkey) on his arrival from Berlin, told friends: “I arrive as the do - of peace bearing an olive branch. You may all spend the summer at the seaside.” The Budapest correspondent of the “New York Times,” Mr Ray Brock, states that German military authorities informed him that the German High Command would make a second spring offensive via Turkey into Iraq across Syria, aiming to seize British petroleum and drive the British from North Africa, between June 1 and 10. The Germans, he said, are now concentrating in huge numbers at Greek ports and are movng steadily via Thrace into Bulgaria to the Turkish frontier from where they intend to

launch an overpowering offensive which they expect will bring Turkey to heel within a fortnight. Mr Brock states that in spite of the insistence of well-informed Turks that Turkey will fight rather than capitulate, the few remaining neutral diplomats in Belgrade are convinced that Turkey will submit. A report from Vichy states that Turkey has voted 13,500,000 Turkish pounds for defence purposes. According to a Vichy News Agency message from Beirut there was great activity at Haifa (Palestine) after the operations in Greece. Many cargo vessels full of war material, including tanks, arrived from Britain. The garrisons at Nablus and Jenin have been reinforced and the frontier between Palestine and Syria is strictly watched.

Operations In Iraq Roschld All’s forces are now on the Alfullaja line, between 12 and 20 miles from Habbaniyah. The Royal Air Force continues to bomb military objectives in all parts of the country and also dropped threequarters of a million pamphlets. It has been decided not to bomb Raschid’s radio stations in view of the thickly populated districts around them.