LATE CABLE NEWS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIX, Issue 21993, 19 June 1941, Page 5

LATE CABLE NEWS

N.Z. CO-OPERATION WITH AUSTRALIA (Rec. 2 a.m.) CANBERRA, June 18. In the House of Representatives tonight, Mr J. Curtin advocated that Australia and New Zealand should exchange High Commissioners in view of their mutual interests and defence. Mr Menzies replied that this matter was discussed when he was passing through New Zealand and had been under consideration for some time. Mr Semple was in Canberra to-day. He attended a meeting of the War Cabinet and exchanged views with the Minister of Defence on the requirements of the two countries. BOULOGNE POUNDED (Rec. 2 ajn.) LONDON, June 18. The Royal Air Force renewed its attacks on the invasion ports during the night, activity extending for many miles along the coast with Boulogne as the centre and the point which was subjected to the heaviest poundingSLOW ADVANCE IN DAMASCUS (Rec 2 a.m.) LONDON, June 18. The Imperial and Free French forces, after capturing fresh positions in the hills overlooking Damascus, are reported to be making their way slowly to the city. The column pushing up the coast to Beirut has progressed beyond Sidon, where the position is described as reasonably secure. General Dentz is attempting'to relieve the Allied pressure by pushing small columns supported by one or two tanks behind our lines at various points but Vichy’s claim to have recaptured Merjiyun is denied. British military circles in Ankara estimate that the Vichy air force in Syria has been reinforced in the last 48 hours by between 50 and 70 machines, mostly fighters. Many are German with French markings. General Bergert, the Vichy Air Minister, is reported to have arrived at General Deniz's Beirut headquarters. It is authoritatively stated that Vichy mobile columns operating against our lines of communication in the scath. captured £zrd, Merjiyun and El Quneitra. We counter-attacked retaking Ezra. Operations are progressing to drive the Vl4iy forces from the other two places. ITALIAN SHIP SUNK (Rec. 2.12 a.m.) ISTANBUL, June 18. It is reliably stated that a British submarine sank a 5000-ton Italian merchantman in the Aegean Sea off the Turkish coast.