1941-06-10 — Page 41

THE CHINA MAIL, JUNE 10, 1941

Drive Penetrates 70 Miles Inland

(SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL”).

BRITISH, IMPERIAL AND FREE FRENCH TROOPS, AUGMENT- ED BY CONSIDERABLE FORCES OF VICHY SOLDIERS WHO HAVE GONE OVER TO GENERAL DE GAULLE, ARE PUSHING DEEPER INTO SYRIA AND LEBANON IN THE BLITZ OFFEN- SIVE LAUNCHED BEFORE DAWN ON SUNDAY TO QUICKLY OCCUPY THE WHOLE OF THE FRENCH-MANDATED TERRI- TORY AND SNATCH IT FROM THE GERMANS' GRASP.

Encountering little if any resistance, several Allied columns, supported by R.A.F. 'planes, are reported to be swiftly closing in on Damascus, the capital. Capture of Beirut, the capital's port, is regarded as probable within a few hours.

General Wilson's British and Free French Forces are understood to have seized control of almost the entire 24,000-square mile Jebel Druse mountain area, and British occupation of Syria within a few days with little if any major opposition is authoritatively predicted.

THAILAND WILL STAY NEUTRAL

70

At some points the Allied ad- vance. according to the London "Daily Express," has reached miles into Syria, and one column has driven 30 miles along the road from the Jebel Druse area to Dam-

ascus.

The progress of the British en- try into Syria by the coast road

from Tyre and beyond the gen- eral line inland was announced by EVEN IF JAPAN ENTERED a communique from British Mid- THE WAR THAILAND, AS Adle East General Headquarters last NEUTRAL, WOULD CONTINUE | evening.

River Litani Crossed

and

TO CARRY ON TRADE WITH ALL COUNTRIES, STATED PREMIER SONGGRAM AT A SPECIAL SESSION OF THE The communique states: "Pene“ ASSEMBLY CONVENED

into TO tration by the Allied forces RATIFY THE THAI-INDO-Syria is progressing. By this morn-

ing they were beyond Tyre CHINA PEACE TREATY.

later effected the crossing of the! The Premier emphasised Thai-River Litani, land's pledge to Tokyo that she "On the right they have તું.. would not enter into any treaty vanced beyond Liszra-Sheikh- detrimental to Japan and no Miskine-Quinetra,"

The advance northward of our already existing non-aggression forces, consisting of mechanised pact with Indo-China.

British, Free French, Australians and Indians, is progressing, cording to messages received in Cairo.

new

commitment

beyond the

The conflict with Indo-China, the Premier revealed, cost Thai- land 10 million ticals plus six millions in compensation for pub- lic utilities in the ceded areas. --Reuter.

AERIAL BATTLES NR. DOVER

AN OFFICIAL COMMUNI-

ac-

It is considered very satisfac- tory that they have crossed the Rivor Litani, which might have been a serious obstacle.

Very few details are yet avail- able in Caire on the political as- pect as to French reaction but it seems evident that resistance must have been slight so far.

The advance from Dera, through the difficult Jebel-Druse country, is also progressing 'satisfactorily.

Jebel Druse

Pro-British

FRENCH TROOPS

GO OVER TO GEN. DE GAULLE

French

A considerable number of officers and men have already come over to the side of the ad- vancing Free French and Imperial troops and а number of others have ceased to fight.

The military spokes- man in Jerusalem re- vealed yesterday that since Sunday the ad- vance has proceeded to an average depth of 35 to 40 miles.

Only scattered cen- tres of resistance were encountered and the number of British casualties is negligi- ble. Reuter.

ITALIANS'

"CONFIRMED

LOSSES"

Italian General Head- quarters in Rome yester- day issued the following list of "confirmed losses"

Th's area is mostly composed in for the month of May.

But the

to

QUE STATES: "DURING DAY- the south-east of lava beds and LIGHT YESTERDAY THERE transport must needs keep

On the Greco-Albanian and Al- WAS SOME ACTIVITY OVER tracks.

banian-Yugoslav fronts 1,430 were THE STRAITS OF DOVER AND

Jebel Druses have killed, 4,123 wounded and 223 NEAR THE COAST OF KENT memories of ruthless repression missing. On the Italo-Yugoslav AND ALSO OVER COASTAL and are believed to be pro-British. fronts 14

killed and 24 DISTRICTS IN SOUTH AND The roads through Dera and wounded. SOUTH-WEST ENGLAND.

were

Quinetra; both 40 to 45 miles from Damascus, converge on that city In North Africa 329 were kill- Up to 8 p.m. there were no re-most important centre in Syrla.ed, 752 wounded and 23,919 miss- ports of bombs dropped.

Sheikh-Miskine is half way be- ing. In East Africa 58 were kill- tween them, and Tyre is about 30 ed, 77 wounded and 2,354 miss- In engagements with out fight- to 35 miles from Beirut, with the ing. ers protecting shipping in the Litani River some 10 miles to the Straits

the naval forces 38 several enemy fighters | north. were seen to be hit and damaged THERE IS No evidencE OF, killed, 187 wounded and 3,080 but owing to poor visibility des- GERMAN

INTER- missing, and in the Air Forces, 79 truction cannot be confirmed. One NATIONAL NEWS AND REU-were killed, 41 wounded and 493 of our fighters was lost."-British TER. Wireless.

GEORGE LOOKED &

FOUND ONION!

ACTION.

In

missing. Reuter.

BLACK-OUT LIGHTS:

DIPLOMATS WARNED

were

THE DIPLOMATIC Corps as a body is being George Robey used to tell aud- asked to ensure that the black-out regulations are fences how he "stopped and look- ed and listened.”

strictly observed by its members, writes the "Sunday To-day he stopped and looked Express" Diplomatic Correspondent.

and found an onlon!

bassadors and Ministers of for- eign countries accredited here.

Motoring to open War Weapons The corps includes all the Am- Week at Shifnal. (Shropshire) he was stopped by a woman on the outskirts of the town who gave him a mysterious linen bag. On opening it, he found it contained an onion.

"There have recently been com- plaints that the black-out is broken by for Ign diplomats :

The vealed that

- The onion was auctioned

George at the Weapons Week care ball

theas.. opening, and fetched 15:

district @rala-

Or

agton, (Ke

ed:" sout: £250,000 //in Its WAM Weapons Week. It aimed

100,000

Under International law, for- eign, diplomats here entitled to. munity" from #this Immunity.

extending to

In an

ambaselasɛand ernment

investigati

wa, and

pluta, even

treme la case it:

or the British. Got- to demand the recall

g diplomat on the he was no longer to the Brilian Govern:

"I can tell

WHITE

HORSE

blindfold

Page

. it's equal to a fine liqueur.”

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