Thwarted'
London, Apr. 20, British forces were " landed Basra, Iraq, in accordance with an Anglo=traq treaty, said an official communique issued here yesterday.
"In accordance with terms of the Anglo-traq treaty of alliance, strong Imperial forces arrived in Basra to open up lines of communications: Through traq," the communique said, The new fraq administration, true to assurances. given by Sayyid Rashid" All Al-Gallani (Premier) are affording full facilities and sent a high officer to welcome. the British. officer commanding and collaborate. with him,"—United Press, A Timely Move 'The arrival of strong Imperial forces at Basra, 300 miles south east of Baghdad, 1s considered here 'a. timely move to strengthen the British position in' Tra, whose immense all fields and vital' strategic position in the Middle East, might easily fall prey to German parachutis{s or air-borne troops, Bulitary observers recalled the effectiveness with which giant air traneporis carried German troops to Norway, Tt {swell known here that the recent"coup defat in Iraq aroused serious misgivings in Britain con= cerning the new government's sym. pathies, despite repeated official statements that the Anglo-Iraquian treaty would be fully honoured, The arrival of the Imperial forces in that country is taken to mean an end to all doubt or equivocation concerning Iraq's position, 'The forces already landed are considered sufficient to give Britain a free hand to protect her own vital interest, it necessary, against an eventual Ger~ man attack, 'Three vital facts serve to intensity' Uritish Interest in Iraq:
'The country annually _pro= quoes 4,000,000 tons of oil, which ig piped across the Syrian' desert It "Iraq were allied with the! Axis, {t would leave Turkey's south om dank exposed and might affect the diplomatic attitude of Turkey, Syria and Trans-Jordania; 8 Iraq occupies a strategic post {fon on the British atr route to} India and the Persian Gulf, The presence of an Imperial force, Yin Trag, protecting Turkey's south. em flank, is expected to bolster Ankara's "position in the Balkan conflict and check Germany's 50~ year-old dream of an open road fom "etn to paghandUalod RAF. Bombs Nazi Vessels London, Apr. 20, British bombers severely damaged five merchant vessels and escorting vessels in the North Sea, the Air Min= larry said yesterday. 'The Air Min= istry said the ships presumably were 4 total loss, Eight British planes failed to return from North Sea operations, RAF, fighters carried out ocensive patrols again on Saturday, reports Routers'. Alr Correspondent, who has just paid a visit to a station where these aircraft are contributing, to the bigger daylight offensive of the RAP. One Aghter was missing.
squadron-leader I talked to added that the enemy was a cunning fellow. He did not always oblige when we tried to entice him to Aight. Another pilot remarked they found that the enemy jerked into action "We mowed down the boats as fast quickly, enough after they escorted some—bombers over i. them." France. Again the Luftwaffe took to the air sharply enough when it saw a chance of cutting of a RAF, ight returning from a deep sweep.
"One pilot, who had evaded this trap, wae the station's commander. Middte-aged and of the rank of stoup-captain, he nevertheless was one of the most enthusiastic of those on the job.
"The squadron here has much other work to do besides sweeps and escorting bombers, It may also have to ¢sort convoys coming into port, And always it has to be ready for terrltorial defence, All this is inevitable, with the ever-growing demands made on the RAF. fighter command at home and "overseas, even os it expands, found none here who is not keenly alive to the value of his new work, whether the daylight air war of 1941 is more and more over enemy territory. and waters,.or once again lly not one ts quite certain which it, would be"—Reuter, More Ships Left Sinking London, Apr. 20.
British bombers continued "their daylight offensive against enemy ship-Ping on the Dutch coast. This tol-be
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.