THE CHINA MAIL, MAY 19, 1941.
'Page 3
TO MEET "FORCE WITH FORCE"
General Dentz's Challenge In Broadcast
Loyalty To
Marshal Petain
"THE ARMY OF THE ORIENT, WHOSE SUPREME COMMANDER IS MARSHAL PE- TAIN, AND WHICH ENJOYS THE SYMPATHY OF THE WHOLE POPULATION, IS READY TO MEET FORCE WITH FORCE," DECLARED GENERAL HENRI DENTZ, VICHY'S GOVERNOR AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF IN SYRIA, IN AN ANNOUNCEMENT BROADCAST FROM BEIRUT YESTERDAY.
General Dentz said Britain had decided to oppose by force German 'planes which had landed in Syria.
already enmily
Marshal Petain had declared France had no towards England or her Empire
Yesterday's incidents do not miran The Decupation of the coun- by or interference in its affairs. I "They result purely from: application of
the armistice
terms. This is the whole truth. Meet Force With Force
“France, Syua and Lebatton, which are bound together to-day than ever *12 brotherly
anore
understanding, will not endanger
AUSTRALIA
NOT TO BE
OVERAWED
just enuse by carrying out Australia would not be aggressive activity the result uf which would be the sherifice of overawed by any menace else-in the Pacific, declared
innocent peuple here
where.
"I have been entrusted with
Sir Frederick
the duty of defending this coun- Commonwealth
Stewart, Minister
try and I shall carry out my for External Affairs, in a
duly to the best of my ability
LONDON HITS
THE BULL FIRST SHOT
was
Two days after it launched, Lon- don's huge War Wea- pons Week - in which 62 boroughs are seek- ing £100,000,000 is already an assured
success
Although no de- finite figures were available last night, official Indications were that the aim would be surpassed.--- Reuter.
Invasion
GENERAL DENTZ CONCLUD- speech in Sydney yester- Ports
ED WITH A DECLARATION; ABOUT MEETING FORCE WITH day.
FORCE.
REUTER.
Attacks On Bases
Continue
He said "We may want peiru but if any nation thinks it can profit by our preoccupation else. where I can say Australia IS The British attacks on Syrin0|ready and able to defend herself, aerodromes were continued 011
Saturday morning. according to "I caniniot accept with equanim- an Ankara despatch to the Gerity Mr. Matsuoka's statement
Members of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force indulge in fencing in their spare time, to keep fit. (Copyright, Fox).
Battered HEAVY STRAFING
(SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL")
Saturday night's bat-
man news agency quoting Beirut, that he intends to work in The tering of the invasion
reports, says Reuter.
Free French Warned
[SPÉCIAL TO "CHINA MAIL") General Henri Dentz. French Commander-in-Chief in Syria, in his broadleast in which he openly warned Britain that Syria would forre with force," also warned the Free French forces in the Middle East against invading Syria. International News Ser-
VIVE.
closest union with Germany." Reuter.
MAKING
RUN FOR IT
Five German ships carrying important cargoes of coal supplies,
ports on the French coast was carried out by waves| of R.A.F.. bombers and developed into one of the heaviest air attacks of the
war.
the Air Ministry announcement
OF ENEMY AIR
BASES
CONTINUED STRAFING of enemy bases
This gigantic assault followed is reported in yesterday's R.A.F. communique that the Rhineland industrial cen- in Cairo which states that on the night of tre of Cologne had been left in fiery ruins by the British bombing May 16-17 British heavy bombers attacked attack of the previous night. Benghazi, where considerable damage was
Dover reports the heaviest ex-
left Chilian ports On plosions yet heard from she done.
Invasion Of Saturday.
Palestine Reported
(SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL")
French coast, which rattled doors and windows in Kent coast towns
Tremendous bomb flashes were
the clear, starry sky.
A number of fires were caused which
They were the "Rakhotis" from seen across the Channel, lighting continued to burn long after the British air- craft had left the target, while Derna and BRITISH RAIDERS. WHICH Gazala were also raided.
Antofagasta, the "Quito" and "Bu- gota" from Coquimbo, the "Frank- furt" from Talcahuano, and the "Erlanger" from Puerto Monte.
The British armed merchant-
A Baghdad radio arinuuncement| man "Laguna" left Antofagasta
IT IS PRESUMED THAT THE
NUMBERED OVER 100, WERE USING POWERFUL
| SUPER-BOMBS.
NEW At Derna, explosions, one of which was Heaviest blows appeared to be particularly violent, took place among build-
pcked up in Lafidon c'aimed that pursuing the "Rakhotis.... Reuter centred on Dunkirk but Boulognings south of the harbour. Fires were caused
the Iraqis have invaded Pulestine. Apparently driving through Transjordan and crossing the Jor- dan River along a route parellel ing the Mosul-Haifa pipeline, Iraqi troops were said by Baghdad to have penetrated Palestine far as Nablus, which is only miles inland from the Mediterran ean coast and only 40 miles north of Jerusalem.—International News, Service,
BOY FATALLY INJURED
25
SAVAGE
was also lashed and German
range artillery in the Gris Ne
region was heavily pounded............ International News Service.
PENALTIES PEACEFUL
THE MOST SAVACE PENAL- TIES YET ENFORCED AGAINST FOLLOWERS OF GENERAL DE GAULLE ARE REPORTED IN
SUNDAY
SUNDAY WAS A QUIET DAY A MESSAGE FROLI VICHY AS FAR AS DAYLIGHT AIR RECEIVED IN BERNE.
ACTIVITY OVER BRITAIN WAS CONCERNED.
on the aerodrome at Gazala, which was bombed and machine-gunned.
British
at Maloi where fighters maintained, were destroyed
incendiary bombs fell and shot down direct constant patrols two Messerschmidts near Soilum among dispersed aircraft, causing and successfully machine-gunned considerable damage.
These bombing attacks were a large motor transport supply column on the Tobruk-Bardin followed at dawn by attacks by roud and the Capuzzo track, com- British fighters, which machine-
gunned the aerodromes at Has pletely stopping road traffic.
More than 20 vehicles were sani, Argos and Maloi. completely destroyed by fire and and a many others damaged, petrol dump was blown up.
Suez Raid Playing on the top of an A.R.P. demned three non-commissioned
Enemy aircraft raided the Suez Pen Shelter in Tai Nam Street, officers to death and imposed sen-
According to an Air Ministry Canal area on Saturday night but Shamshulpo, With
of tences of imprisonment group
ranging communique up to 7.50 there were no damage or casualties resulted other boys, a 12-year-old Chinese from life to 10
17 оп years
no reports of any bombs having to Service property or personnel. lad, Chan Sin-lan, lost his foot-non-commissioned officers and been dropped.--Reuter. ing near the edge and fell heavi-others for alleged participation in ly on his head yesterday.
the de Gaulle movement.-Reuter.
D
He was admitted to the Kow- loon Hospital, but died at $.30 a.m. to-day.
SOVIET PACT WITH IRAQ
The war tribunal at Clermont- Ferrand, it reports, has
ACCORDING TO ROME
con-
There was slight enemy air ac- tivity around the coasts but no enemy planes flew inland,
IT
NAZI GARRISONS REINFORCED
WAS RELIABLY RE- British positions have been at- PORTED IN ANKARA TESTER tacked at Basra by Iraqi rebels DAY (BAYS REUTER) THAT and flerce fighting is in progress, THE GERMANS ARE REIN- according to Rome radio yester- FORCING THE GARRISONS OF day quoting unconfirmed reports,!THE “GREEK ISLANDS OF
CHIOS AND MYTILENE.
\{SPECIAL' TO “CHINA MÀIL”) The BBC. reported yesterday that Russia and Iraq have signed a diplomatic and commercial pact. -International News Service," says Reuter,
Hotties by
Two enemy aircraft were des-, "troyed by A.Alifire and another was shot down by our fighters. Aerodromes in Grocce occupied by the Germans were heavily at tacked during the night of May 16/17.
British bombers caused a num- ber of fires at Argos and also at Menidi,-where-violent explosions occurred at the north end of the aerodrome,
20 Junkers Hit Four aircraft on the ground
“At Hussani, 20 · Junkers#52's wore soon to be hit and a num- bar of Messerschmidts and Heinkels were also attacked. rga At Argos, similar attacks were carried out against enemy adr craft, on the aerodrome. Two of them were set on fire and others damaged.
Crete Battle
Enemy aircraft at MalolTM made excellent targets for our aircraft and many hits were observed...
When enemy aircraft attempted: a machine-gun attack on one of our aerodromes in Crete, fighters intercepted them and destroye three Messerschmidts and dam aged others.
Anti-aircraft fire brought down four enemy aircraft and damaged others Reuter.
May