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“Hongkong. Dally Press,” June 3, 1941,
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No. 25815
联伍拾術捌仟伍萬弍滨
.!
CRETE WAS
報 西 ESTABLISHED 1857 剌 孖
HONGKONG, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 1941.
15-19 Marina House, Queen's Road Central. G.P.O. Box No. 1
日月陸年费拾佰玖仟登英
DEFENDED ON ITS 244 Enemy Planes
MERITS ON ACCOUNT OF
STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE "Incomparable Valour Has
Not
Sufficed To
To Withstand Immense Material
Material Superiority"
CRITICISM OF M.O.I. AND B.B.C.
LONDON June 2 (Reuter)
Enemy Middle East
Planes
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Destroyed In
Operations In May
THE DESTRUCTION OF 244 ENEMY PLANES IN OPERATIONS OVER THE MIDDLE FAST DUR-
ING MAY IS CONFIRMED IN AN RAF. COMMUNIQUE ISSUED YESTERDAY.
.
For the first five months of the year enemy losses totalled 1.243. Neither of these totais in-
clude aircraft that were so badly damaged that they failed to reach their bases,
The communique points out that
the East African front had been the most fruitful for the Imperial Criticism of the MINISTRY. or air force but had dried up with the |INFORMATION and the BRITISH collapse of the Italians in Eritrea BROADCASTING CORPORATION and Abyssinia: the total of 244,
were claimed in East i was voiced during, speeches follow-only two
Africa. ing the inauguration of the annual
In IRAQ, the rebel als force was conference of the British Labour wiped out in a week 45 planes be- Party here.
ing destroyed on the ground and nine show down by British fighters. Among the planes destroyed were several German.
Over MALTA, four enemy air- craft were shot down by oûr figh- ters and four by A.4. tre.
Professor Harold Laski, member "For the moment it will suffice to point out that Crete was defended on its merits
of the National Executive, echoing on account of its strategic importance without any such moral obligation as was pre- suggestions that the Party should sent in the defence of the Greek mainland... Incomparable valour has not sufficed boycott these bodies, declared, I
to withstand immense material superiority.”—THE TIMES.
say that
in the weeks that He
This stubborn battle will rank high in our military annais but it is nonetheless ahead unless We can get more a serious reverse to the British forces who occupied Crete last November. For months satisfaction than we have received we had known that the Germans were going to strike at the Balkans, yet when the and put this whole situation upon Luftwaffe pounced on Crete, the E.F. had no safe base and was, compelled to with- basts draw. The lesson is the need for ever increasing production."-DAILY TELEGRAPH.
"British troops were in Crete for seven months and yet the defences were such that they failed to prevent another evacuation. For its size, Malta is the most heavily defended place in the Empire and the most heavily raided, yet it carries on and sur- vives. Why were similar steps not taken in Crete?"-DAILY MAIL.
DICTATORS AT BRENNER PASS
SIGNOR MUSSOLINI went yesterday to the BREN- NER PASS to meet HERR HITLER. Both dictators were accompanied by their Foreign Ministers, COUNT CIANO and HERR VON RIBBENTROP.
The Fuehrer and Il Duce discussed the political situation for five hours,
The last meeting of the dictators at Brenner Pass was on Jan. 20 when it was announced that the tas were held in a cordial atmosphere and that complete agreement had been reached.
A similar statement was issued yesterday.
Decision Hold Crete
To Hold Was Right One On Military Grounds
"The decision to hold Crete was a right one on military grounds, I know it is irritating to keep bolding on but the truth is we are not strong enough yet to take the, offensive. Until we are we have to hang on like grim death" and work even harder in our factories," commented MAJOR ALLEN MURRAY when he broadcast from Lon" don last night.
Maj. Murray uld that after 12 prise as to the form of attack by days of the fiercest fighting in the the Germans only, perhaps, in the war the terrific weight of the Ger- scale, and persistence of man air-borne, attack had been) brought to bear on Crete and we had to withdraw to Egypt,
In both Greece and Crete we achieved what we set out io do,
Maj. Murray, went on to recall
"Let us admit frankly that this is a serious reverse to our 'strate- gic position in the Eastern Medi- Egypt which enabled us to destroy terranean," he said.
On other fronts, including Crete, Greece. Sictly and the Suez, 37 on which it should enemy planes were accounted for have existed long Bgo. the 27 by A.A. fine. Of the 72 planes possibility of our continuing to co-destroyed on the ground a large operate will no longer exist so far proportion of these were in Crete. as this Party is concerned."
The RAP. lost 65 planes on the Middle East front during May but & number of the pilots are safe.
The Executive had reached thei conclusion. Prot. Laski added, THE TIMES, according to a that the only way to emphasise Reuter message, agrees that the Labour viewpoint in both these organisations is that the there will undoubtedly bel
Party have a person' in office in some questioning concerning that Ministry." the conduct of this brief "miniature campaign, but it is highly important that the campaign should be reviewed without passion and without
The Mosul
hasty jumping to conclusions Oilfields.
ed to be sympathetic' to the Bri-
There are no further details of LONDON, June 2 (Reuter)- British losses in men although it While it is believed that Mosul, is known that they were severe, whose Governor is reliably report-
All --- British and Imperial troops who have returned, to Egypt from Crete "maintain that It was German är super- 'iority that forced them to
withdraw.
H
Canada Promises Greater Aid For Britain
AIRCRAFT LOSSES
IN MAY
LONDON, Jüne 2 (Reuter)-The following are the figures from official communiques of British and enemy aircraft losses for the month of May:
Over, Britain and British coastal waters 205 Over Germany and enemy-occupied
territory
Enemy British
18
31
67
Over Mediterranean front (inclusive)... 268 At sea
25
"66
2
529 153
AUSTRALIA Cyprus Is
& CLOTHES
CRATIONING
Keenly Watchful
Of Events In Crete
SYDNEY, June 2 (Reuter)-After the existing stocks of clothes in Australia are exhausted, there will be no new subs for civilians during the remainder of the war, if the Commonwealth Government ad- heres to the policy of using the entire output. for the fighting | forces, declared MR. H. C. DAY- MOND. President of the New South Wales Clothes Manufac- turers Association, commenting on CYPRUS is keenly watchful of Britain's clothes rationing scheme: events in Crife and the authorl
NICOSIA, June
(Reuter)
Mr. Daymond cited the Govern-tles; of Cyprus are putting the ment assertion that the present finishing touches to the defence® stock for alvillans would last of the island.
tish, is in the hands of friendly
year, but added that he cannot A certain number, of old men, Iraqis and that all the numerous
the Government can women and children have been re- LONDON, June 2 (Reuter)-De- see, how Germans who were in Mosul have claring that "every month will see pursue a new policy, whereby the moved from the towns to the hills. left, one cannot at present assume, more Canadians with you to share proportion of woollen goods - Some Englishwomen and children says Reuter's diplomatic corres-in your offence" the Canadian located to the fighting services have already reached the main- "We are not worried about the pondent, that the oilfields are in Prime Minister, MR. MACKENZIE was increased, from 90 to 100 per land.
Further defence regulations German soldiers.
KING, promised Britain big and cent. We have got friendly hands.
Experts would not be surprised have been antiounced, including their number. It is their air force · The oilfields & Mosul. itself are
new reinforcements, in the course that gives us trouble," they said. but some distance away at Kirkuk of a two-way broadcast with MR. to see clothes rationing introduced penalties for looting, spreading of in Australia and already it is im- farmist rumours and also giving where there has been a number WINSTON CHURCHILL today.
"Ever since your shores were possible to buy blankets in most the authorities wide powers or MR. P. C. SPENDER, Army Min. of Germans whose departure has threatened, Canadian soldiers have Sydney shops.
commandeering. ister, stated in Sydney yesterday not yet, been reported,
stood on guard with yours. "Dur-
The situation is tense but calm. There is every reason to believe ing the year we shall despatch to
the population behaving admir- on the Australian losses in Crete the truth of the information pub-Britain a third Infantry division,
ably. He was in touch with General Brushed in Caire that the boy King a tank brigade, an armoured divi- Thomas Blamey, Deputy Comman-Feisal is safe in Baghdad. der-in-Chief in the Middle East. and would give detaus as soon as possible. It was inevitable that
NO STATEMENT-
that he had no statement to made
the losses would be considerable. HEROIC ENTERPRISE
J
"STAY WHERE YOU ARE HOLIDAY"
The holiday spirit prevailed in
sion and many reinforcements equipped and maintained at our own expense,
In the Royal Canadian Navy we have today .30,000 men. Every day that vallant brotherhood re- ceives many
Heavy Raid By Nazis On Manchester
AT DISADVANTAGE Discussing German chances against Cyprus, the newspaper CYPRUS PRESS observes that the enemy is at a disadvantage com-
Churches, hospitals, shops and Pared to Crete, Cyprus being fur- new comrades. In houses were among the buildings ther away from the German sir
that by the end of last year we lister of Australia said:-
MR. R. G. MENZIES, Prime M London yesterday, Whit Monday, this land of great horizons, clear damaged when German planes bases in Greece, although an aeri-
out a heavy Carried
attack on
al invasion is possible from the although factories engaged in skies and wide. spaces, over 50 had assembled reinforcements in
"The part played in Crete essential war work continued to training schools, 20 manning de- MANCHESTER on Sunday night Dodecanese and there is always which lasted for several hours, the possibility of an aerial attack by magnificent Australian
pots and 20 recruiting centres are operate.
from Syria in full operation."
home .. A nurses
received soldiers must fill Australia
The workers, as was stated re-
The newspaper ands that after with pride. It is necessary
DOMINION THANKED
direct hit and one nurse was kill- cently, will be given a week's holl-
Mr. Churchill, in his broadcast, ed. Yesterday morning rescue the magnificent resistance of the that this heroic, enterprise, be
day during the summer.
acknowledged the contributions of workers were digging among the British in Crete, it is possible that manfully pursued."
It was a "stay where you are the Dominion to the Allled cause. debris for several other nurses.
the enemy morale has been sha- holiday yesterday.
the Italian Army in Libya and, at The question was being asked, the same time, the East. Italian of what importance was it to hold Army In Abyssinia. The sending Crete? Be would say that the an- of these reinforcements was large-| swer to that question was to gainly dependent on the long sea route time in delaying the rapid Ger-round the Cape! The delaying ac- man thrust to the south:
FIRST IMPORTANCE
Mr. Menzies added that Austra tions should give us time to con-Ha was taking every conceivable centrate our reinforcements in the step to reinforce the men in the This delaying action went fur-Middle East.
Middle East, ther back than the defence of
Cont'd Page 7, Col. 3
DROUGHT TO NAUGHT Crete. It went back to the time What had we gained by these when the Germans began their actions in Greece and Crete? We drive through the Balkans Into Had checked the German supplies Grace. The magnificent delaying of planés to Iraq and Rashid All's action fought by our troops in rebellion had come to naught. The Greece was of the first importance situation in Iraq 'was now no more for it threw the German plans out dangerous, and a friendly Govern- of gear and enabled us to infilctment was once again in power. very heavy casualties
the on
Maj. Murray said that the attack enemy.
on Egypt was now a matter of time When the decision was made to and if the German attack was, as go to Crete to hold the Island it might be expected, partly air- was known that once again the borne then we could hope for the odds would be heavily against us. same success that the RAF. had There was no question of any sur-over Britain last summer.
Convoy Problem Solution
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky, June 2 (Renter)-A proposal tist the current American production of 500 heavy bombers monthly be used across the Atlantic on an air highway 200 miles wide, as a solution of the convoy problém, is made by ME." JOHN SOUETT, President of the Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce, in an address prepared for delivery to the annual "convention of the National Aeronautical Asso- clation kern.
He said that these bombers, departing on something like every · hourly schedales, could carry enough bombs to sink large ships.
They could patrol a zigzag course with a fair chance of spotting surface or under-surface raiders.
-On Other- Pages
Page∙
2Racitis: bowls... 3-Radio programmes: Com- ing events; Cinema notes, 4~~British evacuation of Crete; Terrific power of British bombs; Strong Fire protest; Britain tests "Invasion" preparedress, 5--Funerals; Round the Po-
lice Courts. 6-Leading article: The Les
Bons of Crete.
Week-end lawp
Cessation of hostilities in Iraq; Mediterranean aerial activity. 10--Finance and Commerce,
CHURCHES DAMAGED
a
"To the Nazi tyrants and gang- The German bombers are known ken and it will need entirely fresh contingents to attempt to break sters it must seem strange that to have been destroyed. Canada, free from all compulsion London had its first alert for 16 down the strong defences of "Cy- or pressure and so many thousand nights but no bombs were drop-prus, Thirty churches in Belfast were miles away, should hasten forward ped.
"In Cyprus, we are very bear wrecked in recent air raids. The into the van of battle against the city hall was also damaged, it is evil forces of the world. reported.
Cont'd Page 7, Col. 2
14
Today's News Summary
LONDON PRESS COMMENT on the withdrawal of. British troops from Crete Indicates no effort to minimise the consequen-" cen and many questions are asked regarding the lack of air support. - The Times points out that it is highly important that the cam- paign, should be reviewed without passion and without hasty jump ing to conclusions.
THE BRITISH LABOUR PARTY annual conference opened in London yesterday. 'The President said that Labour was determined to see an overwhelming victory over the Germans and the destruc- tion of the Nazi form of Government. In a speech following the Inauguration, Professor Laski criticised the Ministry of Information and the B.B.0.
.
During May, London had fewer our own bases and aeroaromes of raids than in any month since the (the mainland as were the Germans intensive raids began last August, in Crete. The British Fleet is but says Reuter.
a few hours steaming from the An enemy fighter were shot island. And within the island it- down by a Coastal Command self we have a body of defenders plane off the west coast of France. as resolute and determined" as An aircraft of the same Command those who fought so magnificently is missing from patrol,
Patriots Cut Road To Gondar
.,
LONDON, June 2 (Reuter)
It is learned here that Abyssinian patriots have been active in the deighbourhood of Lake Tana,
They have cut the road from
in Crete.
"All these factors make a Ger- man, attempt. against Cyprus an- extremely hazardous «venture, It may well be that if the defenders in Crete have blunted the spear- head of German attack, Cyprus may have the honour of smashing the spear altogether.
"Cyprus now stands between the enemy and his grandiose Middle East ambitions.”
THE RAF, HAVE MET WITH much succèss in Middle East operations and during last month destroyed, 244 enemy planes bringing the total for the first five months of this year to over
AIR ENLISTMENTS 1,000. British losses were 65.
MANCHESTER WAS HEAVILY' raided on Bunday night for Bebra-Tobor to Gondar and con
Major-Gen. H. W. Lloyd, Direc- several hours when churches, hospitals and houses, were hit.
tinue to harass the enemy round tor-General of Army recruiting. Chelga.
has announced that the monthly Further south our troops are quota for air enlistments in Aus- making progress north-westward tralia has been increased accord- from Soddu.
ing to a report.
A JAPANESE NEWSPAPER comments on the Roosevelt adminis tration in connexion with the Pacific. An American radio execu- tive has stated that war between Japan and the United States was
"Illogical and unthinkable,"