BRITISH IN IRAN

Waikato Times, Volume 129, Issue 21513, 30 August 1941, Page 8

BRITISH IN IRAN

AIR=BORNE TROOPS GERMAN ACTIVITIES HUGE ARSENAL FOUND (United Pres? Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) 'Received August 30, 3.15 p.m.) LONDON, August 29 A huge German arsenal was found in the Iranian town of Julfa. which was one of the points of the Russian entry into Iran, reports the Moscow Red Star. An Iranian officer stated that a camouflaged German tank column recently arrived at Tabriz. The roads leading to Tabriz for the last six months have been filled with German lorries, laden with arms, ammunition and dismantled planes. The Germans are reported to be spreading a rumour that Hitler has become a Moslem. (Similar propaganda was issued about the Kaiser in the last war.)

The Vichy news agency’s Ankara correspondent says that all German residents in Iran have reached the Turkish frontier. Sixty German refugees from Iran arrived at Ankara, penniless, without luggage. The landing of air-borne troops in Iran was the largest operation of the kind the Royal Air Force has ever undertaken, says the British United Press’ Cairo correspondent. The operation was a complete success. Several battalions were carried by planes from Irak.

AMERICAN AIRWAYS TWO SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES . United Press r.55n. —Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received August 30, 3.15 p.m.) WASHINGTON, August 29 The Civil Aeronautics Board today granted Pan-American Airways, Ltd., permission to set up two new subsidiaries, Pan-American Airways of Africa, Limited, and Pan-Ameri-can Air Ferries, Inc., which will operate Pan-Americans’ new commercial air service to Africa and ferry bombers to Britain.

CHINA AND CANADA

DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS (United Press Assn.—nee. Tel. Copyright) (Received August 30, 3.15 p.m.’) CHUNGKING, August 29 The Foreign Office announced that China and Canada have agreed to the exchange of diplomatic missions. NOT RECOGNISED AMERICA AND DE GAULLE (United Press Assn.—riec. Tel. Copyright) (Received August 30, 3.15 p.m.) NEW YORK, August 29 The Post’s Washington correspondent says it was learned today that Mr Roosevelt decided a week ago that, he would not extend any sort of public recognition to General de Gaulle. Many officials felt that the moment had come to give recognition, but Mr Roosevelt decided against it, thus accepting Admiral Leahy’s view that such recognition would alienate Vichy and the French authorities in Africa Therefore observers thought that Mr Cordell Hull’s denial of an offer of bases was technical sophistry. VICHY PARLIAMENT REPORT OF TRANSFER (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyrignt) (Received August 30. 3.15 p.m.) LONDON, August 29 A Vichy message reports that Marshal Petain has decreed the transferring of Parliament from Vichy to a mountain resort near Riom. ITALIAN PRISONERS EMPLOYMENT IN BRITAIN (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. copyright) LONDON, August 28 A start has been made with the employment of Italian war prisoners in British agrculture, says the Daily Telegraph. The men are not being allotted individually to farms, but are working in gangs under, military supervision. Some are on draining, ditching and land reclamation, and others are on harvesting. They underwent rigorous tests for previous agricultural experience and physical fitness before being sent to Britain and already they have made a most favourable impression. The total number in this country is only about 2000, but further contingents are believed to be on the way. There can be no doubt that scores of thousands of Italians now idling away their time in prison camps in India represent a valuable reservoir of manpower to overcome the shortage of domestic farm labour. The only limiting factors would seem to be security and shipping space, of which the former is probably the main reason for the reluctance to make use of prisoners.