Evening star., 1941-07-02
British Fear Of Drive
By Nazis on India
Seen in WaveII Shift
Gen. SirCIuude AuchinIeck
Appointed to Succeed
Him in Near Eust
~ the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press.
LONDON, July 2.-Gen. Sir Archi-
bald P. Wavell suddenly was trans
ferred today from the Near East to
India, and surprised Britons specu-
lated on the possibility that the gov
ernment foresaw a quick German
victory over Soviet Russia and a
subsequent Nazi drive on the
Ganges.
The transfer, in fact, was switch
of commands, Gen. Sir Claude
Auchinleck, 57-year-old Scot, mov-
ing from India to the Near East.
Sir Claude, about whom the
British public knows little, has
served in Egypt, Alden, Iraq, Kur-
distan and India. He was named
commander in chief of India last
January q after distinguishing him.
self by directing the British attack
on Narvik, Norway, and organizing
English coastal defenses.
LyItIetOn MINISTER VI StdtSs
At the same time the appointment
of Capt. Oliver Lyttleton as minister
of state and a member of the war
cabinet to represent the cabinet IN
the Near East was announced.
Prime Minister Winston Churchill
today refused to make a statement
In the House of Commons which
might explain the reason for the
change. Denying a request for such
q statement by Leslie Hore-Belisha.
former War Minister, Mr.. Churchill
said, Il do not see any advantage
in adding to information already
given at the present time
Mr. Hore-Beiisha raised the point
that Capt. Lyttleton as Minister of
State was "constitutionally respon-
sible to Parliament" and declared
he would ask some questions elu-
cidating the meaning OF these
changes" at a future date.
Gen. Wavel was the target for
considerable Australian criticism
after the Greek campaign and from
Australian sources in London today
1t was learned that the resentment
of Prime Minister Robert G. Men
zies was an important contributory
factor to Gen. Wavell's shift.
Australian stan officers, these
against his defensive dispositions
after his army overran Cirenaica.
Gen. Wavell was reported to have
replied that 300 miles of desert
between his army and Axis troops
In Tripoli would hold any enemy
advance to small units.
Cirenaican Defenses Reduced.
The same sources said that as a
result of holding this view the
western defenses of Cirenaica were
reduced to send troops to Greece
and that when the Germans hit the
British screen and penetrated they
swept the British out of positions
and won territory the taking of
which had cost hundreds of Aus
tralian lives"
Some sections of the press, most
friendly to the government, saw
Gen. Wavells removal as a promo
tion in view of the supposed German
threat to India, but few neutral OBJ
servers believe the threat as serious
as portrayed even if Germany in
vests the Ukraine.
Capt. Lyttleton left the post of
president of the Board of Trade. a
government department, last Sunday
and now is expected to work to
maintain British prestige in Iraq,
Iran and Egypt as we'll as to regain
diplomatic ground lost when Turkey
on June 18 signed a friendship pact
with Germany.
Formal notice of the change,
issued early today at 10 Downing
Street, gave no reason for the action.
Some military quarters imme-
diately interpreted them as a move
to give Sir Archibald a rest follow
ing the heavy campaigning in which
his forces swept across Eastern
Libya,- only to be driven back by
reinforced Axis forces. and losing
lights were carried on in Greece
and Crete.
India Forces Face Action.
Others held the changes to indi-
cate that the forces on India's
northwest frontier were due for
action.
Basis for the latter reaction, in
. part, was report the British have
put out feelers for a new agree