THE CHINA MAIL, AUGUST 8, 1941.
Middle East
Initiative In Passes Entirely
AXIS FEARS AN EARLY OFFENSIVE
THE INITIATIVE in the Western Desert has now passed into British hands completely, it was stated in authoritative quarters in Lon- don yesterday.
The Axis powers, instead of threatening an attack on Egypt, are talking nervously of the possibility of the British attacking Libya, Sicily and the Greek islands.
It was stated that the recent British offensive on the Sollum front took such toll of German) armoured fighting vehicles as to rule
the out an offensive by Nazis on that front in the near future, even if it were possible while Tobruk is still holding out.
The British Invasion of Syria finally wrecked Hitler's whote Middle East plans and put an end to the northern prong of his two-pronged attack through Libya and Cyrenaica. on one hand, and through the
Balkans on the other.
Itarian resistance in East Africa ...now limited to the Gon- dar and Wolchefi' pockets.
Gondar is estimated to have abou. 3000 white Italian troops and 6,000 natives, and Wolchefit a similar number of white troops and 1,000 natives.
Surrounded
Hitler's armies on the Smolensk front are more or less stationary.
The Nazla are progressing in the Ukraine in a south-easterly thrust if the direction and
considerabis there gains any success, they might be able to get to the Caucasus and so to-
wards the British Middle East positions.
JUMP IN CRIME AFTER AIR RAIDS
Sir Philip Game, Com- missioner of the Metro- politan Police, in his re-
To
ROOSEVELT
PROPOSAL APPROVED
Cairo
The U.S. Senate yesterday approved keeping conscripts in service for 18 months beyond the present active service periods, says Reuter from Washington.
port to Mr. Herbert Mor rison, Home Secretary, on the work of the Metro- politan Police during 1940, pays tribute to the way Londoners have faced CHINESE intensive air raids.
"I would like to emphasise," he says, "the universal feeling among all ranks of the force that their task has been immeasurably ligh- tened by the magnificent reaction- of the public and the courage and determination shown by all classes of people."
The Commissioner reveals that there were 4,584 cases of looting during the year; 1,662 were October, 1,463 in November and
920 in December. The worst month
The Russian army in Siberla is very strong being composed of the most highly-trained and best-for crime was October, a month
after the heavy raids started. equipped Soviet troops. It proved itself superior in the frontier
clashes Reuter,
Japanese. with the
DOUBLY MIRACULOUS
PAPER
COMMENTING ON WEDNES- This is causing Britain to keep
Africa to DAY'S GERMAN SPECIAL COM some troops in East mop up the enemy but the enemy. MUNIQUE THE SWISS surrounded
to get "NEUE ZUERCHER NACHRICH- supplies. would eventually fall TEN" WRITES: into British hands.
and unable
Slight Drop In Crime Indictable crimes in 1940 total- led 93,889, or one per cent, fewer than in the previous year. Whereas the outbreak of war was followed by a reduction of crime, the air ruids produced an increase.
Up to the end of December, 98 police officers lost their lives through raids and 605 were in- jured.
Of looting. the Commissioner says: "With the possible exception of manslaughter it is difficult to imagine any offence in which what
might be described as moral blame
more
The can vary
widely.
sen- original outcry for heavy
in tences
every case
which
"If the figures given corres- All possible troops have been pond to the truth it appears doub-technically fell within the defini. shifted to other parts of the Mid- ly miraculous that the Red Army tion has died down as this has d'e East, and the British have had is fighting just the same without
become more widely recognised." to block
The most distressing' feature of the territory Inking a sign of exhaustion, and is even
hitting back."
the crime had been the number of: Egypt with Turkey safeguarding
The Berlin correspondent Cyprus and shielding Iraq.
cases in which members of public "Gazette de Lausanne'
of Although the German advance the
services had abused positions that the
trust. in Russia is held and has slowed writes: "It is natural
Of the looters 14 per cent. down everywhere, the Nazis still special communique should rulse these long hold the initiative but undoubted- public morale after
45 per cent. were under 21. but for our ly the German High Command is weeks of silence
Steps had to be taken to curtal!
of
I
VICTORY
AT ICHANG
WALLED
GIRLS ARE TO DO R.A.F. JOBS
crews
on
Girls are to take over men's jobs as ground fighter and bomber airfields through- . out Britain under a scheme planned by the Air Ministry.
The girls, specially picked from the ranks of the W.A.A.F., will be trained as light-mechanics.
By taking over this work hundreds of skilled male engineers acting In ground crewe wilt be released for other dution.
"A mechanical mind and quick thinking are all the qualification necessary for this new women's job," an Air Ministry official told the "Daily Mirror".
to
AFTER DESPERATE FIGHT- "So far it is planned to train a ING THE JAPANESE COLUMNS small number as a 'try-out'. Later HAVE BEEN DRIVEN BACK. it is hoped to extend the scheme LEAVING 1,700 DEAD NEAR throughout the country. THE
CITY OF
Another new job open members of the W.A.A.F. is ICHANG, THE CHINESE MILI- TARY SPOKESMAN SAID IN parachute packing. For this it Is thought one time laundry CHUNGKING.
hands experienced in packing materials neatly will be most Bultable.
The Chinese have captured large quantities of arms and sup
plies.
The Japanese forces In the It is planed to train women vicinity of Ichang have launched with special knowledge as radio three unsuccessful attacks recent-operators, as mechanics to work ly to disperse the Chinese con on air-frames as well as engines, centrations, the spokesman added. instrument repairers and electri-
Reuter.
cians.
SHARP CLASH ON FRINGES OF TOBRUK
EXTRAVAGANT CLAIMS made in the
were described as schoolboys and Italian communique in regard to an attack disappointed at the slowness of part we have not observed any the activities of the more undesir- by British troops on enemy positions in the the advance and the heavy losses. new fact in these military state-able entertainment houses and to salient at Tobruk were refuted by authorita
Russian Situation
ments which, however, officially confirmed the Russian power importance and
which nobody
Latest reports indicate no great sistance, change in the Russian situation. 'predict."--Reuter,
Army's of re- dared
□□□□□□□□□
warn members
of
the Forces
against them. But the tendency tive quarters in London yesterday.
on Forces for members of the leave to "let themselves go" has been far less noticeable than in! the last war.
DOCTOR'S WIFE
Maizee's Ltd. FIGHTS
Alexandra Building
Wish to announce that owing to
shop and showroom alterations their premises will be closed for
business from Wednesday, August
6 to Monday, August 11.
BOMBS
It is stated enemy casualties were heavy although a correct estimate is impossible.
British casualties were 28 kill DLE EAST COMMUNIQUE IN ed, 104 wounded and eight miss- CAIRO. ing.
*TD
The communique stated:
dust Heavy fighting took place round Libya extremely heavy
storms have temporarily limited a post on the enemy's left flank the activities of our raiding par- where 28 of the enemy were ties in the Tobruk area but under killed:
cover of the dust one of our fight- Ing. patrols attacked an enemy The British troops, after flerce post, infifcting casualties and cap- fighting, entered a post on the turing prisoners and weapons. enemy's right flank,
"In the frontier area our arti The enemy then put down allery and machine-guns engaged very heavy mortar and ma- the enemy and one of our patrols, chine-gun barrage, causing surprising a small enemy column, many casualties to their own took a prisoner."-Reuter: troops as well as the British.
-After dark Information
was
CHARGE CONDEMNED
AFTER A GERMAN RAIDER HAD DROPPED A NUMBER OF FINCENDIARY BOMBS ON A SOUTH-EAST COAST TOWN A DOCTOR AND HIS WIFE RAN OUT TO DEAL WITH THEM.
They found a police-constable and a warden stamping on bombs received that the post on the in the road, and Joined in dumn- enemy's left flank had been cap- ing sand and sandbags on other tured and held by two officers fres.
and 17 men, including eight bad-
"The most appallingly technical They then left to deal with ly wounded. They had eight charge of manslaughter it has ever been my misfortune to try," was bombs burning on a tennis court German prisoners.
the commerft of Mr. Justice Char and in back gardens, On the way
Strong Infantry parties. were les at Deeds Assizes. Stanley. the doctor's wife saw a fire in a
gardener, top room of an unoccupied sent over to relieve the post but Myrtle Holmes, 10,
Little-thorpe, near Ripon was furnished house,
they were delayed by fire and found not guilty and acquitted Followed by the policeman, she fetched sandbags, then entered the meanwhile the enemy attacked after being accused of the man- house and crawled into a room to and overpowered the garrison. And a bomb burning In the cen- Reuter, tre of a bed. The flames were put out with the sandbags. Meanwhile the doctor had been putting out other. Bombs,
Another raider at the same time dropped nire high explosive bombs, but all felf on land.
Dust Stormis
STORMS DUSTI
WEDN
AY'S
slaughter of Joseph Harold Rey- nolds, a 13-year-old schoolboy, Allcey Road, Ripon.
Holmes was alleged to have LIMITED accidentally, shot Reynolds while 'IN LIBY
ON pouching rabbits. The prosecu- tion submitted, that if death was ACCORDING TO coused during an unlawhil act it
HITISH MID-' was monslaug