THE CHINA MAIL, MAY 21, 1941.
CRETE SITUATION NOW IN HAND
Premier Makes Unexpected Statement In House
Colourful Detail
Of Cut
Cut And Thrust At Sollum
THE PRIME MINISTER, MR. WINSTON CHURCHILL, MADE AN- OTHER SURPRISE STATEMENT IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS YESTERDAY AFTERNOON, DISCLOSING DRAMATIC NEWS THAT THE SITUATION IN CRETE IS NOW IN HAND,
He recalled that he had, earlier in the CHASE day, mentioned the beginning of a serious OVER
attack upon Crete, and thought the House
would like to know, before it separated, what WALLS
was the latest Government information.
FOR
Mr. Churchill said: "I cannot pretend BURGLAR
ance.
that this statement is of momentous import- It is only because we are altogether and I thought the House was most anxious should keep them fully informed.
}
On
"Aft a good deal of Fluensa round the Bank atul were well e bombing of Suda Bay end vantar the situat.on at about 1 nerdretise, in the night carbourt
May 17. about 1 500 enormy trip.eung! Na Zealand bas
-
dignant era utidel by glider, panchmales art trop chers The tunea Madre
"This
nie: sage
was
11000 to day reported the rituation
hand.
Sent
JF!
at
Resolute Counter-
Attack
"But the Gernuate Lomas bend
al of
}
and the military resolute counter-attack with about was in 40 pak, and recupimped Capizza That entailed the withdraw
the armoured brigades from the advantageous position which it had attained. The oper. | ations were, therefore. Indeci BIVE. "The Germans claim 100 Bite! PRISEMONS. We have 500 German prisoners, and their losses in tank,
certainly
A LATER REPORT. AT ! FM, SAYS THERE IS CONTINU- OUS RECONNAISSANCE AC COMPANIED BY SPORADIC BOMBING AND MACHINE GUNNING, CHIEFLY AGAINST THE ANTI AIRCRAFT DE FENCES
For
"The military hospital between and personnel Canea and Malemi. which was, besivy, if not heavier, than ours captured by the enemy, has now "But this operation must be re- been recaptured,
garded
background. il over six weeks past the Germans have been proclaiming they would shortly be in Suez and have been
One Party Left
as
"A fairly strong enemy party making much credit with the neu- is reported south of the Canea-tral world by spreading such Malemi road, which
is not yet statement.
ropped up, but other parties are "It is therefore satisfactory
A
to
"U.S. ABOUT TO TAKE A DECISIVE STEP"
The Polish Premier, General Sikorsky, who has just returned to England from the United States, said yesterday "The United States is about to take a decisive step." Reuter,
NOT SENT
After pursuing a bur-THROUGH
glar over three walls, Mr. B. Pengelly, of the P.W.D., TURKEY
WAR MATERIAL SENT FROM SYRIA HAS NOT
GONE
A!
| THROUGH TURKISH TERRI-
TORY. ACCORDING TO USUALLY RELIABLE SOURCE IN CAIRO YESTERDAY.
LOYALTY OF THE REAL IRAQ
"Well established in- formation reaching me makes me certain that the people of Iraq and the majority of army officers repudiate and condemn this subversive move- ment," the Regent, Emir Abdullah, told Reuter somewhere in the Middle East.
"They maintain the highest loyalty to the constitution of Iraq and to the Treaty of Alliance cnncluded by the late King Feisal with Britain,
"It is probable that the peo ple of Iraq wil assert this feeling."
The Emir added that the Iraq Soup d'etat was carried out by "a handful of individuals working in the interests of foreign powers."
Reuter.
residing at No. 93, Water- loo Road, arrested the man yesterday morning.
The man, Lee Hung-kwan, 34 was charged before Mr D J N Anderson this morning with at-i
Rafael Trujillo, Dictator of the tempting to barak 1 No 93. This source reveals the war ma- Dominican Republe, arrived in Waterloo Romi with Intent
to terial was sent by rail to Aleppo, Nassau from New York yesterday. steal, with breaking into No 260, where it was unloaded and trans-
He is to meet the Governor, the a fleet of Iraq forries: Duke Pince Edward Road on May 13. ferred to
of Windsor, and 1 the material by; Duchess, at Government House with stealing a camera, an eléctre' which conveyed
tacles and a. road to Mosul Reuter
Reuter. quantity of cigarettes, and with a breach nd the Deportation Ordin-
Lam, a par
ance.
noise.
Sgt. G S. Alexander said flat about 4 En yesterday. Mr Pen- gelly was awakened by a He tip-toed out to find teeused m the act of removing glass from the door.
a pane
At the Police Station, defen- dant admitted that he had broken into Mr. Jones' residence 2014
the stolen the property stated in charge. Only the electric fan, pawned for $7. which had been was recovered.
to n
Accused, who had four previous convictions, was sentenced year's hard labour.
thought to be accounted for. see that we have retamed strong JAPANESE
"I thought people would like to offensive bear how the action far has is being developed." (Cheer )
Lon even Earlier. Mr. Churchill, referring areas of to the South African troops in Reuter, Abyssinia, said they had }btet T4| ordered by General Smuts to go, forward, and now, as this theatre' is elo ng down, they are to move northwards to the Mediterranean, (Cheers).
"A'so two British and Indian; divisions gained laurels in the fighting at Karsalu, and all the way from Kassala to Kerem and up to the final events.
These Indian divisions consist
J
of six Indian battaliong and three ¦
and butiful endurance of hard-
power and that fighting maintained, at any rate. terms in the advanced approach to Egypt."
AIRMEN
FAMILY
TRAGEDY
'PLANE
SHOT DOWN
V
JAPANESE
PURSUIT
DURING AN AIR RAID OVER
CHANCE OF NAZI SUCCESS VERY SLENDER
(By Reuter's Diplomatic Correspondent)
THE GERMAN ATTEMPT to establish a foothold in Crete by parachutists and air- borne troops, is unquestionably a most daring and hazardous move. The chances of success
are slender.
PLANE WAS BROUGHT DOWN It can be regarded as a big gamble but is CHENGTU YESTERDAY, IT IS probably intended as a full-dress rehearsal
OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED BY
THE CHENGTU AIR DEFENCE for other invasion plans against Britain.
As far as it is possible to guess the German
HEADQUARTERS.
More than 80 planes of the 12th
and 13th Air Squadrons. of the plans from the meagre data avaiable, they will prob- Japanese Navy flew into Szech-ably try to seize the coastal strip, so that blockade- While the bombers attacked runners can be rushed across from Greek waters Liangshan and Ipin, eastern Sze- while British warships are kept off by heavy air their British comrades.
Henry Francis Dempster wan towns, dumping their ex- Sometimes w have teen
plosives indiscriminately, 21 pur-attacks. where not a single British officer Breese is missing, marks suits in two groups headed for
Parachutists may also try to remained ted a batta ion. cona triple family tragedy of Chengtu.
seize nerodromes and
at- may flying low over the tempt to sow panic among the southern part of the city. one population by indiscriminate "Any account of this campaign His father, Air Vice-Marshal group composed of 12 machines shouting. reflects very high honour upon C D. Breese, was killed on ac- was fired at by Chinese anti-air- the soldiers of India of all castes tive service as result of a flying cruft guns. and creeds engaged,
British battalions. The ardour) Announcement yester. from Hupeh around 8 a.m. ship has won the high regard of day that Flying-Officer
ducted itself in a most effective manier.
the war.
While
One machine, No. accident, it was announced in 762, of the Boeing type, was hit March.
and crashed at Peiyangchang.- His elder brother, Flight-Lt. J. Central News. C. Breese, is a prisoner of war event which has in Germany.-Reuter. occurred since we were last here}
Sollum Action
"The second
is the remarkably well sustained action at Sollum.
It
"This is of interest because was fought exclusively between British and German troops.
"IT HAS NOT, I SUPPOSE, BEEN FOUND WORTH WHILE TO MAINTAIN ITALIAN
TROOPS AT THE END OF SUCH A LONG AND PRECARI-
TRADE
CLEANING UP DESK PLOT
FOR MR. MENZIES ALLEGED
THE
AUSTRALIAN
Tho Cretans have always been among the best Greek soldiers and it is most unlikely the Germans will find Fifth Columnists among them. Although no figures are avail- able for the strength of the Bri-
LOSSES IN SHANSI BATTLES
WHILE ADMITTING THAT A
tish, New Zealand and Greek | CHINESE
DIVISIONAL COM-
forces in Crete, there is no rea- | MANDER, GENERAL WANG son to doubt they
would
be CHUN, WAS KILLED IN AC- more than a match for any air-TION IN THE CHUNTIAOSHAN borne troops whose numbers BATTLE, IN SOUTHERN SHAN- necessarily are, limited.
SI, THE CHINESE MILITARY SPOKESMAN IN CHUNGKING DENIED THE JAPANESE ALLE- GATION THAT TWO CHINESE The R.A.F. can be relied on ARMY CORPS COMMANDERS to take severe toll of the heavy AND A DIVISIONAL COMMAN-
}
Guerilla War
An Axis trade plot in the Far East is alleged in reports reach- WAR ing London to-day. OUS LINE OF COMMUNICA- CABINET HAS CLEARED UP Japan and Germany, it is sald, Junkers planes, and the Royal DER WERE KILLED AND ONE TION. (LAUGHTER).
OUTSTANDING BUSINESS IN were using Thailand as a pur- Navy with, an anchorage inDEPUTY DIVISIONAL COM- "The fighting was severe but PREPARATION FOR THE RE- chasing agent to secure war sup- Suda Bay, should be in a posi-MANDER TAKEN PRISONER. hot on a very large scale. TURN OF THE PREMIER, MR. plies from the Netherlands East tion to maintain a pretty effective "With the fighting at Chuntigo- "Several .of our-
FROM -motorised MENZIES.
NORTH-Indies. A special That trade mis-blockade against brigades, supported by armoured AMERICA
any approach shan'on such a large scale," the THE WEEK. sion was sent to Batavia, with from the Greek, coast or the spokesman said, "there are bound brigades-and-strong-artillery, ad-END...
cash, offering to bûy oil ships and ¦ Dodecanese.
to be heavy casualties on both vanced 30 miles from the position Mr. Menzies will broadcast a rubber which were to be sent to Parachutists, who are able to sides. where they have been deployed message to the nation immediate- Japan and Germany via Russin. carry ammunition and iron rations for some, weeks past and attacked ly on arrival.
"After a fortnight of desperate The Dutch discovered the mission for several days,, may be able fighting, in which the Japanese the enemy taking Sollum, Hell. Mr Fadden, Acting Premier, was acting on behalf of the Axis to Institute some form of guerilla suffered heavy casualties, the Fire Pass and Fort Capuzzo-and will hand over to Mr. armoured troops had got well officially on May 26-Router..
Menzies and declined to consider the offer, warfare, but the odds against the situation is now developing in the
-Central..
| Invaders - are heavy-Reuter, Chinese favour."—Reuter,
AT
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