THE CHINA MAIL, JUNE 19, 1941
Page
GEN. WAVELL'S NEW DESERT OFFENSIVE.
(By Reuter's Military Commentator)
YESTERDAY 126 YEARS AGO, THE BRI- TISH WON THE DECISIVE VICTORY OF WATERLOO, WHICH VICTORY BROUGHT TO HIS KNEES A DICTATOR WHO HAD LORDED IT OVER EUROPE FOR MORE THAN 10 YEARS.
Battles in those days only lasted one day; now they take several before the final de- cision is reached.
Battles of an offensive character are again being fought to save Europe and the world from other dictators whose tyranny is far more brutal and cruel than that of Napoleon.
In my last despatch it was in- dicated that an offensive in Libya might be undertaken by the Bri- tish and not by the Germans, and so it has turned out, fór on Sun- day morning General Wavell launched an attack of some mag- nitude
in on the German front Libya and heavy fighting is still going on round Sollum and Hal- faya Pass.
It is satisfactory to find that the British, forces are now strong enough in the Middle East to justify General Waveli in mak-
ENEMY SHIPPING LOSSES
An authorised review of enemy shipping losses
ing this attack, while he has during the week ending
other forces engaged in a second campaign in Syria.
Details have not yet come to
hand to enable us fully to picture the battle which is now going on off Sollum, but one or two salient points can be perceived.
Heavy Attack
June 15, says that over 40 separate and successful attacks were made by our sea and air forces and at least 28 ships were severe- ly damaged, 14 of which are known to be total losses.
It is evident that our attack is heavy enough to have obliged the Germans to rush reserves. It ap- In addition, pilots who raided Dears the British are tactically Benghazi harbour on six nights making use of fairly wide turning and one day report that seaplanes movements and that the R.A.F. is and merchant ships were sunk giving ample support not only in there during previous raids, attacking bases, airfields and the enemy's lines of communications but also on the actual battlefield.
The enemy seems to fear that this is the first step in a serious and sustained attack but we must wait and see. It may only be a local offensive aiming at the capture of Halfaya Pass,
PATS' 'OFFERING'
WAS FIGHT
FOR PRIEST
Taking the collec-
tion in a
New York
to see
church, a sidesman was surprised Patrick Gunn drop a note instead of a shill- ing in the plate.
At the altar an astounded priest found the note a chal- lenge to a fight.
#
To the police Pat said that the priest had failed to get him a promised job, and
as I
had heard he was handy with his hands, I thought it a good way to settle the matter.'
"
BRITAIN CLOSES DOWN ON PETSAMO
The Ministry of Econo- mic Warfare announces that the British Govern- After mentioning the success ment has informed the full attack on one of the two remaining German
Government of Finland pocket battleships, the review says six that from June 14 no supply ships and a trawler, destined to be available for the
further sea traffic would Bismarck and Prince Eugen, be allowed into the Arctic
port of Petsamo.
were dunk.
Submarines in the Mediterran- Last autumn the Finnish Gov- In Syria, the British progressean accounted for an 8,000-ton jernment granted the Germans the against Beirut and Damascus has tanker, an Italian armed cruiser right of transit of troops across been slow owing more to political with two schooners she was Finland to and from Norway. considerations than to any mili-escorting, an Italian armed mer- Although this was regarded as a tary weakness of the British. chant cruiser in Benghazi harbour 'grave breach of neutrality
and two schooners in Mytilene British Government, destring harbour. Reuter.
Superior Strength
We do not wish to throw our superior strength ruthlessly and violently onto so many French soldiers who are truly our allies and whose own countrymen are marching with us.
There will be much less bitter- -ness among Frenchmen in Syria when General Catroux has esta- blished an anti-Vichy and anti- Nazi Government there.
NEVERTHELESS IT IS PORTANT THAT GENERAL
IM-
WASTE TIME NOR- TO ALLOW
ED UP IN SYRIA.
U.S. OIL FOR BRITAIN
the
to
encourage the Finns to try and {maintain their independence, agreed to permit the resumption of sea-traffic to and from Petsamo subject to suitable arrangements to prevent any imports reaching the enemy.
Early this month it became obvious that German troops nawera entering, Finland in such large numbers as to make it tolerably, clear that they were taking up permanent positions In Finland and were not in transit to Norway,
able of comp ying, with the terms
WAVELL HAS STARTED AN A new arrangement, Accordingly Britain is no long- OFFENSIVE IN LIBYA. NOT TO giving U:S. refineries an er able to regard Finland as cap TOO MANY - BRITISH MILI- opportunity to supply at agreed upon last autumn. TARY RESERVES TO BE LOCK-least 50 per cent. of petro- No vicerts will for the time being be granted ships proposing With this object in view it is leum products purchased to sail to Finland and already conceivable that the subsidiary for Great Britain under three Finnish vessels on their way advapce from Iraq, which
to Petsamo have been intercepted moving in two columns along American contracts, was and detained. British Wireless. the Valley of the Euphrates, was announced by Mr. Harold Ickes, the Petroleum Co-
ordered.
Drive On Aleppo ordinator, in Washington These columns are apparent'y last night.
meeting with little opposition.
possibly because the enemy troops The action follows the appeal are engaged in the south trying by producers in the United States
to delay the British advance on who said that virtually all such Beirut and Damascus.
''
STALIN ATTENDS COMEDY
American contractors were being The presence of Stalin, Molotov Full advantage should be taken supplied from wells in Venezuela. and other members of the Soviet of this fact,
dad Government at a performance an The capture of Aleppo, in the. Mr. Ickes also announced that Sunday of a modern comedy call- rear of the Vichy forces, might three huge tankers at present ed.) ""On" the ~ Steppes of the bring about an immediate, cos, serving California will be trans- Ukraine," was mentioned in the sation of hastilltiedizione ferred to serve the Atlantic sea- Soviet press yesterday, It can be noted with satisfaction board from the Gulf of Mexico. The fact is alluded to in prom-. that the close cooperation of tha They will deliver an additional inent notices of the season of "a" Brlush Navy and Air Force is be- 210 million gallons of petrol in Ukrainian theatre company from ing fully applied in all these oper year because of the shorter vo Kiev now being held in Moscow. ations.Keltor..
Tage-Reuter
Reuter,
Couldn't keep my eye Awon the ball to-day!,
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