The position at Palmyra Is not clear, but it is understood that the British mechanized column is. still meeting with a certain amount of! resistance, including attacks from. the air.
'A. Vichy communique states that} in the Syrian desert British motoriz~ ed columns from Iraq are still held before Palmyra, and adds that there has been no important change' in the general situation for the Last 24 hours."
Following the occupation of Mer} Ayoum, which held up the Allied advance in the central sector of the Syrian war front, latest reports received in London show that Vichy troops have retreated from seven to ten miles north-east of the elly.
'A. spokesman in Jerusalem today announced that troops which occupied Damascus are pressing forward along the Damascus-Beirut road end have advanced 12 miles.
Tu the coastal sector, added the spokesman, Australian troops driving towards Beirut are receiving conavedsapport from Erish war-
Palmyra—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.