1941-06-02 — Page 7

HONGKONG DAILY PRESS

THE MILITARY SITUATION: AIR & LAND CO-OPERATION NEED MORE THAN EVER.

"If you compare the results of the last two months Aghting this year with those of the two months following the invasion of Holland and Belgium in 1940, you will ad-- mit, that the latter were absolutely catastrophic, a term which you cannot apply to recent events," said CAPT. CYRIL FALLS, military correspondent of THE TIMES, when he broadcast from Longon on Saturday on the pre- sent military situation.

Withdrawal From Crete

of the bayouet,

CABLE

THE WAR AT SEA:

MONDAY, JUNE 2, 1941. -PAGE 7

Declarations By Darlan

Continued from Page 1

BATTLE OF CRETE NOT A FULL DRESS REHEARSAL FOR INVASION OF BRITAIN tempting to atate whether the remembered her alliance with

"The Battle of Crete is in no way a full dress rehear- sal for an invasion of Britain. Conditions differ widely. The main thing was that our fleet in Crete lacked air sup- port. That could not happen in the case of Britain," said MR. H. C. FERRABY, B.B.C. naval commentator, when he broadcast from London yesterday on the war at sea and· the part which the Navy had contributed to the momen- tous events of the past week.

that France" transports arms for as a military power and factor of Continued from Page 1

Germany and Italy' without at- European unity, Britain suddenly they had stood up to Lac 'most uv- tensive bombing and attacks by

and British contention is true or not. France

profited by the overwhelming numbers of picked

Admiral Darlan continued: "These stupidity of French politicians. to German troops, and had fought

brutal acts have only one alm. drag France into this war. them again and again at the point

namely; to destroy the seapower of "Since France had found a clear- France and separate the mother- sighted leader in Marshal Petain, The British troops showed their

land from her Colonial Empire and | Britain hyprocritically attacked determination, as was expressed by

isolate her from the rest of the her. Britain would like to prevent world." Mr. Church, the Prime Minister,

France from taking part in the Admitral Darian referred to the European new .order and from Capt. Falls said that when Azzled out. Yet we cannot afford to hold Crete and they did every-

ite thing they possibly could,

"British seizure" of French pos- preserving the Integrity of her ter- he spoke last week, he men- to be complacent about

The factor which defeated them

sessions in New Caledonia and to ritories and colonial empire." "We can probably use the that is that the Battle of Crete is attacks on Dakar "where part of In conclusion, Admiral Darlan tioned that the British would must remember that Germany has

been working very hard on this was the geographical position of

"In agreement with have a good chance of hold- and their attacks against us now the Island which they ma to ue-word unique to describe the in no way a full dress rehearsal for the gold of the Bank of France is declared:

¡fend. Crete is less than 100 miles Battle of Crete," said Mr an invasion of Britain. Conditions deposited," and to the "murder of Marshal Petain, I refuse to accept ing Crete if the troops there are likely to be intensified very, had sufficient aircraft sup-soon.

Greek Islands in the Ferraby. For the first time differ widely." The main thing is defenceless 1,500 French seamen the destruction of France which

that our Fleet lacked air support at Merselkebir."

would have been unavoidable if the Aegean and 70 miles from the in history, an island has been in Crete. That could not happen Greek mainland, distances which

This too, he alleged, was for no war had been continued. That 1. invaded by air and in spite in the case of Britain. nothing to

other reason than the desire to whom the Marshal has entrusted Gue modern

A MENACE of not being able to receive

destroy France as a senpower." with the policy of reconstruction.. "Crete in German hands will be

should be the target of the British" supplies from the sea, the in-

ATTACK ALLEGED a menace which Crete as neutral

Admiral Darlan went on to speak rage is just as natural as the fact vading army has held on to territory was not," continued Mr. of what he described as "the B- that London tries to play off. tish attack on a stranded French dubious French elements against cruiser at Dunkirk on July 7, 1940,

France.

port. Despite the fact thati "An attack these troops had not received even half the air support necessary they had put up a very gallant, defence.

Cyprus is bound to follow and could be carried out from the Dode- canese Islands. The capture of Crete would

the mean easier transport of Germans to Syria and once their organisa- tion is established at the prin- cipal French ports there, the Germans would take complete charge as they did in Rumania and Bulgaria.

from the

man

mean plane.

On the first day or the Ger- attack. 1,500 PARA- CHUTISTS WERE KILLED, GERMAN OBJECTIVE

Until the very end, the British The German objective was to

inflicted extremely heavy casual- hold the Malemi aerodrome for the

ties on the enemy, but overwhelm purpose of landing planes and

ing numbers of German troops led then to push on eastwards and

to the evacuation of the three capture Suda Bay. That was why the position wa's regarded as

"The Germans do one thing at a (aerodromes. serious when the German attack time and do it very thoroughly. In-j had compelled the British troops deed. This is essential for thetish could get had to come from to fall back to "new detensive conduct of their operations.

positions

"That means that же are driven off away from the aero- drome which we should have originally commanded and that the enemy was getting nearer Suda Bay," said Capt, Falls. The situation has now become very critical and the enemy has now got an opportunity to make full use of the Malemi aerodrome.

SPRING OFFENSIVE

"You must think all this is pessimistic," continued Capt. Falls, "It is not, but I have always felt that we were in for a hard time- this summer. Germany has now launched her main spring offen- sive, but they have not yet reach ed any decisive advantage, but they have consolidated their power In the Balkans by the overthrow !of Yugoslavia and Greece and in the reconquest of Albania and now there is the attack on Crete with it is not certain we can keep in our hands.

the foothold gained there.

which was torpedoed and machine

French gunned. Two-hundred

AIM OF ACTIONS The aim of my actions is to

Ferraby. "' German aircraft will SEA-POWER UNDEFEATED

be based within 400 miles of Alex "But this air dominance over andria and within easy reach of the waters of Crete has not can- the German army in Libya and celled out sea-power. The damage our Fleet will be constantly at-sailors then lost their lives. They enable France to resume her place done to our ships was not as much tacked."

were the same men who shortly as a great power in Europe and as had been expected."

That was one possibility they before had covered, the retreat of the world. For this it is necessary Mr. Ferraby then went on to had to face now and there was comment on

the German and also the advantage of transport British troops at Dunkirk, Cher- to take part in the new order. Egypt though the Germans kept Italian claims of the damage done which the occupation of Crete by bourg, Le Havre and Brest." jup incessant attacks from a dis-to the British Fleet in the Medi- the Germans would give the

tance of 100 miles only.

All the air support that the Bri-

on and inflicted very heavy casu- In spite of this our troops fought

altles.

The strategic result of the British resistance will be seen to the future when the whole of the great BATTLE OF THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN is put in perspective.

MORE UNPROMISING

Admiral Darlan then continued:

"After the bombing of Sfax, I am more than ever determined to

terranean. The Germans claimed enemy. Up to the present. Admir- "To grasp the motive of such con-secure the respect of France's right

been that seven British cruisers had al Cunninghant had been able to duct. It would be necessary to freely to control the use of her

Our country is "still strong. sunk by German bombers carry out his operations without examine the Franco-British rela Ports and lines of communications. and four by the Italians, making much difficulty, but these operations during the last 20 years. enough not to tolerate any viola eleven in all. The true agures tions would be made more

tion of her territory or insult to were three cruisers and four des difficult when the Germans are

ber Hep." troyers,

established in Crete.

There was no use blinking this fact. Although Crete might not be used by the enemy as 3 naval base, its occupation by the Germans would certainly increase Ad- miral Cunningham's difficul- ties.

Since the Versalles conference, Britain had tried to saddle France

Summarising what, according to

with all the obligations arising from the Versailles Treaty.

"France had to play policeman the German News Agency, he call- ed British acts of piracy.". Admir- While Britain was making profits.

alDarlan stated: "Ninety French "Moreover. Britain supplied gold |

and arms to two great centres of ships, totalling 370,000 tons, were colonial unrest which shook the seized up to the end of July 1940. Ten ships totalling 36,000 tons were French Empire, namely Morocco

seized in colonial territories of and Syria.

France which have passed under British control.

"Finally, in 1935, Britain suc

There was no record of the number

machines cf enemy brought down in the course of the fighting by naval gunfire. It was

"The RAF.

LONDON. June i Reuter) The significant that the ships which has destroyed number of enemy, aircraft, but it

outlook in Crete has become more were sunk were not specially de- signed as anti-aircraft cruisers. says THE TIMES. would need a great dea; of bomb-

unpromising.

It was unfortunate that in the ing by our aircraft to put the air-

Our troops are compelled to aban-hucly-burly of the action, no re- Geld at Malemi out of action. It "If you compare the results of don Suda Bay as well as Canes,

cord could be kept at the destruc- is the old story which I have heard the two months of fighting this but they are

stili in Heraklion,ition of enemy machines. ever since this war beyan-there year with those cf the two months where heavy fighting continues,

DAMAGE TO ENEMY was not enough preparation for following the invasion of Holland

When discussing Britain's ma- attack against an enemy who has and Belgium in 1940, you will ad-!

The Imperial forces and the terial losses, therefore, it should advantages Herr Hitler had secur To sum up. one could say that been impounded in America to the superiority in the air. especially mit that the latter were

Greeks have put up one of the he remembered that much damage ed in the Mediterranean. his from 1919 to 1939, when France order of the British. Twenty-one when his air arm is used in such trophic, a term which you cannot most astonishing and most inspir- was also done materially to the greatest difficulties idy in the appealed for help. Britain cold-ships, totalling 86.000 tons - have close co-operation with the army, apply to recent events.

witnessed in this enemy. as it is being used by the Germans,

fights yet

Torpedo carrying aircraft will in future be the chief striking weapon of the Navy and it seems unlikely therefore that the Bismarck would have been intercepted without the aid of such aircraft. The form of co-ordination and co-opera- tion is most essential.

IRAQ SITUATION "And now a word or two about Iraq."

continued Capt. Falls "There the revolt seems to have

catas

"There has been the virtual

elemination of the Italian Fleet as

a major fighting force and there

MOST ASTONISHING

war.

The operation, however, repre-

is the capture of East Africa. sents remarkable organisation and

administration and

We

cannot

There has been the destruction of two great Italian armies is East afford to neglect the boldness of

its conception and execution. and North Africa.

"There has been an expansion

of the training of our own army

"In the face of the losses we have suffered and in the face of the probability of more losses to come the Navy has maintained its hold un the waters round Crete," continued Mr. Ferraby.

"It la indeed a queer battle.

in the light of the leasons we have MUST HANG ON There is one view, however, and

learnt: Finally, there is the added change of opinion in the United States and the help which we are getting from that country."!

CO-OPERATION NEEDED Capt, Falls concluded by em- phasising the necessity of protect. ing and covering the army on the

JAPANESE SHOP battlefield by air support.

ROBBED IN WANCHAI

A Japanese shop in the Wanchai district was robbed last night,

According to a report made by Kanichiro Sakuma, aged 59, sales- man of the Horiuch! book store, No. 38 Hennessy, Road, ground floor, four Chinese entered the premises about 8 o'clock last night while he was closing the shop,

Two of the men, one armed with a revolver and the other with a dagger, caught hold of the Jap- anese and threatened to kill him if he made a noise.

The intruders bound and blind- folded the victim and demanded the keys to the safe which they eventually found in a drawer of the desk,

"I may be wrong," he said, "but I should say that we can- not be defeated if we are cap- able of doing that for the next six months. It is necessary for this purpose that there should be complete co-operation ber tween the air arm and the ground forces and that this co- operation should be as well established as it is in the Ger- man army."

AS NEVER BEFORE

Important In Defence Of N.E.I.

"Thirty-three ships, totalling"

BATTLE OF ATLANTIC "But that does not mean that ceeded in prevalling on the French he will be powerless in the Medi-Government to take part in sanc-158.000 tons, were captured at sea

tions against Italy. terranean." said Mr. Fertaby, and went on to say that despite the

COLD-SHOULDERED ·

Battle of the

since June 28, 1940. Thirteen ships. totalling 142,000 tons, have

Atlantic, despite shouldered her but each time Bri-been lost since July of this year as the seriousness of the losses of tain wished to protect her own in the result of bombing and tor- merchant ships sunk by the Ger-terests, she forced France to side pedoing or scuttling when faced

with her.

with British threats.

mans,

"Herr Hitler wants the Bat- tle of the Atlantic to be over in double quick time" con- tinued Mr. Ferraby. "and his U-Boats are not getting on with the job fast enough. That was what the Gnelsnau and the Scharnhorst were in- tended to do.”

"Today. Britain remained true!

"Altogether this represents the to her old tactics of disuniting loss of 782,000 tons to the value of Europe. When Germany appeared 120 milliard francs.” „

Armistice Signed

Continued from Page I

The

latest communique from

Storage Of Water In Cities

Mr. Ferraby expressed the view that as these two German raiders had now been bottled up in port In a speech on the Empire war

and attacked by British planes, R. G. Menzies, the effort, Mr.

the Bismarck had been sent out to Calro states:-

The main subject at Home Premier, yesterday Australian sald

take their place. It was an ex-) that for the next few

IRAQ Following the acceptance during the past week had been traordinary use to make of a big of the armistice asked for by the the fire services, sald MR. E. A. months we must hang on as never

BATAVIA, June 1 (Reuter)-AC- Ship like the Bismarck, but the committes before until we begin the slow

of administration in MONTAGUE when he broadcast that Baghdad the situation remains from London last night. upgrade to victory and make up cording to the paper Nieuwsblad, a Germans evidently realised

sulphuric acid industry with anothing but a battleship or a quiet.

The fire services Bill had be- for deficiency of machines.

LIBYA and ABYSSINIA—Noth-come law but we still had heard Though he had no fear for the capital of guilders 8,000,000 wil be battle-cruiser could do the work

the little about the detalls of future, he fully understood the established in Tjepoe, Java and will of the Gneisnau and Scharnhorsting of importance to report.

start production at the end rext

ASKED FOR ARMISTICE changes. It was admitted that year..

CAIRO, June 1 (Reuter)-Iy is | Britain had the best fire åghting confirmed here that Iraqi rebels service in the world with America have asked for an armistice. They second. have asked for fighting to cease in jall parts of Iraq, and an. armis-he

tice to be formally announced,

menace of the future.

The new Industry will be of gres NAZIS RELEASE

FRENCH WAR PRISONERS

"Daily and nightly during· mur- derous raids on London I have

importance in the defence of the never learned to admire and

N.EL. for the manufacture of reverence any people more." con munitions and explosives. Further- Leluded Mr Menzies.

more, an extensive glass plant will be erected at Toeban, while plans have been designed for three spiri- | ning mills.

Spain and Germany have agreed to an exchange of workers, it is reported.

LONDON, June, 1 (Reuter)-The

But however good a fireman was "

was useless without water. They had emergency arrangements HEAVY BOMBING

but they needed better ones. In LONDON, June 1 (Reuter)--In recent ralds the firemen had been liberation of those French prisoners Iraq, yesterday's concentrated and rendered useless by the water main The production of potassium fer- of war who are ex-servicemen of heavy bombing attacks in close sup being bombed, tilisers which was started in Aug. the 1941-18 war, has started in port of our troops, were made by LONDON, June 1. (Reuter)--The 1940, now exceeds twice N.E.Laccordance with the recent agree-aircraft of the the R.AF. on For a city to be safe it should Vichy News Agency says that Bri- needs and surplus will be used for ment between Vichy and Germany: Washash, Rashid and enemy post-have in reserve 250,000 gallons for

An announcement to this effect ions at Kadhimain. tish aeroplanes on Saturday again export purposes. Before the out- bombed an Italian merchantman break of the war potassium pro- was made by M. Scapini, French LONDON, June 1 (Reuter of Stax in Tunis, setting her on ducts were exclusively obtained by R. A. F. raids on German and fire.

import from Germany.

R.A.F. Raids Restricted By Weather

They opened the safe and stole German-occupied territory for the $545 in notes.

week ending dawn on May 30 were ↑ The amah was also bound and, restricted by the weather after ransacking her quarters, stole

in Chinese national notes.

LONDON, June 1

Despite

unfavourable weather

ground, damaged several

hidden in

smoke.

OTHER TARGETS

CABINET MINISTERS PUSHED FROM BELOW

BOY KING

RESERVE WATER

every square quarter-mile but it was no easy thing to find storage delegate, dealing with the prisoners VICHY, June 1 (Reuter)-The of war, according to the Toulouse Iraq boy King. Feisal was with buildings were now being used as space Basements of bombed Radio.

Rashid All when he crossed the storage tanks. It added that 5,000 French frontier into Iran, atates a com- prisoners who are either 1 or munique issued by the Baghdad had to have something more far- Mr. Montague said that they seriously wounded," will also be Security Commission. freed

reaching for London and this pro- PLANES WITHDRAWN

blem would give the Home Minis- CAIRO, June 1 (Reuter)-It is. BANGKOK, June 1 (Peuter) understood that a number of Gerter, Mr. Herbert Morrison, more The Thai Radio, announcing the man planes has been withdrawn headaches than anything else. flight of the Cabinet Member, from Iraq following Rashid All's Major Vilas Osatananda, to Singa-action in fleeing to Iran.. pore to fix up with BRITISH in- terests the shipments of Inel and

oil to THAILAND, warmly wel comes this "friendly act of the British authorities.”

MEXICAN POLICY

An Important statement on the policy of Mexico was made by the President on Saturday.

He said that Mexico' would sup the present state of affairs the port the United States because in

destinies of one American nation

Phillipines To Buy U.S. Destroyers

$40.20 Hongkong money and, $100 the R. A. F. vigorously attacked industrial targets in Cologne on The robbers made good their two nights. escape.

A particularly successful daylight In his weekly commentary, broadcast. from London last night, attack was also made on the MR.. E. A, MONTAGUE, said that he had just been reading a book on enemy-occupied aerodrome.. (Reuter)-In Lannion in Brittany.

of England in war-time written by a distinguished American, Mr. Ralph The British | Ingersol, in which he wrote: "In almost every single Minister of the the money Market, £75,000,000 flying a few feet above the ground | Government with 'whom I talked I felt a sense of the man being Treasury Bills offered were fully destroyed seven enemy fighters on pushed from below to meet the demands of the people." allotted at the average rate of the 21.1 per cent, which showed others, demolished a hangar and to read that because it was exact- clothes and shoes.

Mr. Montague said he was gladnouncement of the rationing of This was not movement in the left the aerodrome a fractional market's favour,

ly what he had been trying to ex-an unwelcome surprise and.. the plain in his broadcasts.

WASHINGTON, June 1' (Reuter) people had been wanting some-

TOKYO, June 1 (Reuter)-Acting --men sent warnings through

Lease and Lend Act" which passed under the provisions of the "little Other targets," including indus- For the past year, every English thing. like this.

Everyone will man had been ready to make any

be treated the out the United States that there objectives in North-west dent Roosevelt's speech is still the Germany, porta and aerodromes in sacrifice in time, money or person- same and that "was an that the might be outbreaks of sabotage on could not be isolated from the des Congress recently, providing for the sale of United States naval arms al freedom, whatever the Govern-ordinary man wanted to be sure of Memorial Day. occupied territory, notably Bou-

and equipment to the Philippines, logne and Saint Nazaire, were also ment asked for. He wanted to be and, in that light, they would make

the Commonwealth Government is treated rough. When the English-sacrifices not caring what they

NEW YORK, June 1 (Reuter)-preparing to purchase three over- LONDON, June 1 (Reuter) The attacked. Vichy Ambassador, M. Haye, has In attacks on enemy shipping off man acted as a fire-watcher in his were. Inequality was fast disap-Eight days after perting com- protested to Washington against enemy occupied coasts at least 10 spare time he liked to be put, un-bearing and you had the director pany with the Bismarck, the Ger- Most of the letters and telegrams age destroyers from the American

of a firm.doing fire-watching duty man 10,000-ton 8-inch gun cruiser, President Roosevelt received in Navy, states a Japanese report. American newspaper suggestions ships were hit, damaged or set on Mr. Ingersol was right when he with his office boy. Taxation was Prince Eugen, is still hunted by Connexion with his fireside talk,

indicated approval. that Germans aboard the Fretch fire four of these probably sunk. said that the Ministers were con- growing and you needed £80,000 the British Navy. steamer Winnipeg, Intercepted by Offensive patrola continued over tinually being pushed on from the or £70,000 in order to have £5,000 a British warship near Martinique the Channel and enemy coasts,

men below... were "tourista”.. M. Haye as?^-. From these operations, eight that they were all emigrants, British aircraft are missing and carrying regular visas and bound two German aircraft were shot for South America.

ANKARA, June 1 (Reuter)-Preal-

main theme of the Turkish Press.

trial

down.

der discipline

tintes of another.

LONDON, June 1 (Reuter) —

a year for yourself.

MONTEVIDEO, June 1 (Router) BANGKOK, June 1 (Router) People were not complaining of crowd of students demonstrát-News of Ex-King Prajudhi- NO SURPRISE

food rationing but Lord Woolton ed against the pro-Nazi 'newspaper pok's sudden death in a Surrey It was against this background had not yet put a stop to profiteer- "Libertad" of which they burned home is received with wide- that you had to set the new an-ing in certain foods,

a number of copies..

יזי

· spread regret in Thailand.

ROME. June 1 (Reuter)-Dr. Osvaldo 8€ astiani, principaj pri- vate secretary to Signor Mussolini, since seven years ago, has resigned "for private reasons” according to an official announcement in Rome of Baturday night,

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