1941-05-24 — Page 2

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¿THE CHINA MAIL, MAY 24, 1941.

1

Slogging Hard Desperate Crete Battle

FightingCentred On Four Main Points

LATEST REPORTS RECEIVED IN CAIRO FROM CRETE SHOW THAT THE SITUATION IS PRACTICALLY UNCHANG- ED, REUTER LEARNED IN CAIRO LAST NIGHT, WITH HARD FIGHTING IN PROGRESS AND BOTH SIDES SLOGGING. THE GERMANS ARE TRYING TO PURSUE THEIR FAMILIAR TAC- TICS OF ESTABLISHING THEMSELVES FIRMLY AT ONE POINT.

OFFICIAL STORY OF CRETE

Yesterday's Cairo com-

In some cases the Germans have auto- matic weapons, and even small mortars. This makes more difficult the task of driving them out, particularly when they have dug themselves in.

Fighting is particularly hard around Malemi aerodrome, which the Germans are endeavouring to use to land more troops. The enemy are using large quantities of ammuni- whether they can continue at this rate of tion in repelling attacks and it seems doubt-

fire.

munique announces that throughout Thursday Crete was again subjected The British and Greeks still to intensive attacks inter-largely hold the coast and have spersed with determined repelled any attempted landings. efforts by the Germans to The Cairo military spokesman, land further troops, both reviewing the situation, said yes- terday: "Apart from Malemi parachutists and air-things have gone well on

the whole."

borne.

ob-

The enemy succeeded in taining a temporary lodgement at both Heraklion and Retimo but after a severe hand to hand fight the German detachments were ac- counted for and the situation in both places is now satisfactory.

Australians are fighting

The spokesman revealed that in Crete and they had paid a tribute to the Greeks and Cretans, saying how proud they are to fight them in view of their

splendid achievements in Greece.

rein- ing

Allies Using Tanks

The spokesman said fierce fight- was still in progress, both sides using mainly Tommy-guns, machine-guns and mortars.

in the Malemi sector our coun- ter-attack was partially success- ful but later in the day it Was held up as the enemy have been, able to land considerable forcements by air in this sector.

Operations are continuing.

As German losses will show.i both the British and Empire forces have

ALLIES ARE USING rendered better TANKS AND HAND-GRENADES account of themselves.

BUT THERE IS NO EVIDENCE GERMANS HAVE TANKS OR MOTOR - CYCLE COMBINA - TIONS SUCH AS THEY USED IN FLANDERS.

a

THE

In the Heraklion sector Greek; THAT THE troops also fought with the great- LANDED est gallantry-Reuter,

INDIAN AGITATOR AT WORK

Mahendra Pratab notorious Indian agitator who conducted a violent anti-British

ANY

The spokesman explained that the fighting is centred on four main points-Heraklion, Retimo, Cane and Malemi, the last-nam-! ed being the aerodrome site a few miles west of Canea,

The position at Malemi, where heavy fighting has occurred, s sull indeterminate.

The spokesman said the enemy had sufficient ground to enable

campaign him to land aircraft, which he was during the last World doing, but the aerodrome was

War, and has been living constantly attacked.

under Allied fire and was being

LONDONERS SUBSCRIBE £100,000,000

At 3.30 yesterday afternoon, the Lon- don War Weapons Week figures topped £100,000,000.

one

There is still more day, before the Week ends, and subscriptions

will therefore exceed the total aimed at, name- ly, £100,000,000. Reuter.

CRETE IS

WORTH THE SACRIFICE

"The Times" in a lead- er on the Battle of Crete,

Overcome by relief, after spending six days at sea in

an

open boat without food or water, 15 survivors of a neutral ves- cel torpedoed by a Nazi U-boat are plotured as they clambered aboard a British destroyer which had sighted them 200 miles off the nearest land. The men were weak through lack of food, drink and from exposure. On their fifth day in the boat the mast had been carried away in a gale. The 15 men represent- ed eleven different nationalities, one man a Negro. (Copyright, Fox).

GERMAN LOSSES IN CRETE RAIDS

SINCE THE INVASION of Crete began the Germans have lost 16 Junkers of the 52 type troop carriers, victims of anti-aircraft fire, announces a communique by the R.A.F. Middle East Headquarters issued last night in Cairo.

The communique details one Junkers 52 as having been shot down off the coast of Crete yesterday.

re-

Under the sub-heading "Medi- terranean," the communique ports that fighter aircraft of the South African Air Force destroy- ed two Junkers 87 dive-bombers which attempted to attack ship- ping,

for many years in Japan, No Landings From Sea after remarking that the boun and the communique adds

arrived in Peiping from

During Thursday and Friday successful raid on Benghazi har- night R.A.F. bombers effected a

"Bombs burst on the Cathedral enemy losses were heavy, mole and two fires accompanied says: "But he can afford by explosions were started. ficult to forecast the outcome at considerable losses and government

There was still a good possibil- the Crete prize is worth

the enemy would be the sacrifices.

Nanking on May 16.

at

He has been addressing students

local Chinese schools with the usual Pan-Asia talk.

BOMBAY RIOTING

With the tide of battle away- Ing to and fro, it is still

Malom, added the spokesman.

Ity that thrown out of the aerodrome.

The spokesman affirmed

there

REGENT

RETURNS TO IRAQ

“Mosul ✨Raid

Reuter learned authori- tatively in London last Offensive action in Iraq is re-night that the Regent of at Iraq, Emir Abdul Illah, but has returned to Iraq and

A

Government will be made as soon was as the situation in Iraq has been

It is interesting to note he was allowed to advocate a world state,

ported in the same communique with a common army..and com-

which says: "Rebel forces mon flag, though, doubtless out of had been no landings of the enemy, of action in the East

Its importance is in the defence tacked Fallujah yesterday deference to his Japanese hosts by sea.

of Egypt and our naval liberty after heavy bombing our original he omits to mention the flag's

Mediter- positions ranean needs little emphasis design and colour.--Reuter.

were re-occupied. A is now considering the Describing the situation as con- this stage.

at number of lorries and tanks were formation of a new gov→ fused, the spokesman said: "It is

captured. by no means certain that a whole in the archipelago and

Allke for defence of his gains air:division has been landed, still is far more important-for

An Iraqi petrol dump at Cas-ernment. what sels Post, 12 miles northward of! less landed intact."...

The Regent's whereabouts, are the Bagdad, was bombed and machine-being, kept a close secret and German tactics had consisted of prove invaluable to the enemy, started..

offensive against Egypt it would gunned and four large fires the announcement of his new. showering down troops at various points but the only point at which

its loss would not have a deoi- The Mosul aerodrome they had been successful was at

sive effect upon-the-maintenance' machine-gunned by our fighters, clarified. : THE RIOTING BETWEEN

Malemi aerodrome.

of the Moditerranean Fleet at two enemy aircraft being destroy. MOSLEMS AND HINDUS

~Alexandria but it would sorled, and another damaged.

So far as is known at the Questioned whether the Allied GOMBAY WAS RESUMED YES- troops were hampered by the ab-operation and increase

ously hamper: every

moment the rebel leader, Rashid naval 'German atroraft bombed and All, is still in Iraq but it is not TERDAY WHEN POLICE WERE sence of air support, the spokes-

the #machine-gunned Habbaniyah expected that organised resistance AGAIN COMPELLED TO FIRE man expressed, the view that the Cunningham has continudity to -manifold» perils, which Admiral ON THE MOB.

causing some damage to build to Great Britain will continue Rioting broke out at night and that it was depressing to be dive-The

main effect of such absence was

Inge and alight_dasualties." Tach."

much longer. In Abyssinia, South African air- police opened fire at one point. bombed without seeing one's own stating that while enemy artillery tion of motor transport near the appointment of Mr. Gerald

Times" concludes by craft dive-bombed a concentra-British

It was only yesterday that the Up to the morning nine demon-planes in the air.

Government announced Etrators were known to have

and tanks can be kept from Crote, Soddu, destroying seven vehicles, de Gaury, as Charge d'Affairs, to was there is room enough for the and also attacked similarly troops, the Regent pending establish Curfew, has been imposed from troops well, dug in as against rison of Crete will prevail in From til operations two air British Ambassador at Bagdad.

not so effective against seasoned hope that the valour of the gar- transport and, a store at Gimmin. ment of communications with the 7.30 pmn, to 6.30 am, -—— Reuter, troops retreating,

this ferocious struggle,Reuterscraft are: missing-Reuter.

V

Been killed and 75 injured.

IN

Dive-bombing, however,

Reuter,