The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-06-02

and had finally been joined by Italians.
 The air ministry had announced the removal of Ar Chief Marshal Arthur w. Longmore, commander m-chief of the Royal Air Force in the middle east. I0ngmore waA named inspector general of the Royal Air Force and was succeeded in the middle east command by Air Vice. Marshal A. W. Tedgier, who had served aS his second In con- mand.
 Naxls Paid Heavily
 There was natural depression over the British defeat in Crete, though it was offset. first, by tho belief that the Germans had expected to take the island in two days and that they had paid heavily for their victory secondly. by the fact that Britain had won an important victory in AanaAhing the German supported re- gime of Ra6llid Ali Al Gallant in Iraq.
 But already nritons were looking ahead Co the next phase of the campaign and anticipating \ Ger. man attack or cyD"is $40 miles east of Crete, 4D miles from the Turkish coast and 70 miles from Syria,
 0ermanS had made no secret of their desire to get Cyprus nS n steps ping stone toward the SueS canal, 230 miles 10 the south.
 The view was taken that the Vichy regime of France was now . partner of Germany and that it would be adVigable for Britain to take Syria both to strengthen the defense of Cyprus and to prevent Germany from getting it.
 Tt can hardly be doubted that we have the force 10 take Syria and it k not impossible that the opera. ton would be welcomed by the bulk of the French forces there," wrote the military expert of the Daily Telegraph "It B almost certain that it is rom that direction that tho new German threat will come and it would be wise tO take time by the forelock,"
 Cyprus po@eSses one of the worlds great natural air fields, q 400, ,000-acre treeleRs plain in the center Of the Island, and there arc six BritiGh air bases on the island There are considerable British forces in Cyprus and British planes can cover it from Palestine, 100 miles away,
 Evacuation of Crete
 The war office communiqie An- nouncing the evacuation Of Crete Raid.
 "After i2 days Of what has ad- miLtedly been the fiercest Sighting in this war it was decided to with draw our forces from crete. Al- though the losses we have inflicted on the enemy's troops and aircraft have been enromous, it became clear that our naval and military forces could not be expected to operate indefinitely in or near Crete with out more air support than could be provided from our bases in Africa. Some l6.000 of our troops have been withdrawn to Egypt but 1t must be admitted that our losses have been severe"
 It was not disclosed when the evacuation started or when it was completed, nor were figures avail able for the number of troops there originally Maj. Gen. B. c. Frey berg, the Imperial commander in chief. was believed safe, It was not known whether any Greek troops had been evacuated.
 A high Royal Air Force ofiicer at Cairo said that the Germans were believed to have lost 20 per cent of the approximately 1000 planes they used to take Crete.
 Many Planes Down
 Cairo, June 2-tUP)-The Royal Air force middle east command claimed today 1t had destroyed PA German and Italian planes in the middle east during May, bringing the total for the first five months of lD4i to i,243
 The RAT emphasized that these figures covered only enemy planes known" Co have been destroyed. It indicated German aIld Italian air losses probably were heavier It in- dicated German and Italian air loases probably were heavier.
 eixty-five British planes were liat- d as lost in the same period. but the RAF naid many of the pilots were safe.
 Tine RAT said the Germans and Italians lost two planes in East Afri- ca, eight At Malta. bz in iFnq where nflllsh nlanee wiDed 0llt naehid All