The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-06-16
BRITISH DRIVE
 AHEAD IN SYRIA
Continued from Page D

flanking movement.
 It was reported that Gen. De- L L'Homme, former commander of the French garrison at Damascus, who arrived yesterday, at Istanbul, on his way to Sofia to communicate to the Vichy government Allied Allied terms for the surrender of the capital.
 Came From Vichy News that the Allies had taken the important coastal town of Saida came first from Vichy. It was be- lieved, however, that Allied troops already had skirted the city on their way to Beirut. It was indicated that this force, If strong enough, might cut off the main Vichy coastal army.
 The Allies now had occupied more than 2,700 square miles of the coastal area of Syria in an eight day campaign. They had possession of a fertile rectang1e between the coast and the desert.
 One Allied column was march ing directly northward between Bei- rut and Damascus, apparently head ed for Sahle and the Kayak air. port, one of the most important in Syria.
 Free French headquarters here reported that Gen. Paul Gentil- homme, one of the Free French generals at the front, had been wounded by a French airplane bomb Raids on Germany
 London, June 16-(UP)-British long range bombing planes attacked Germany's vital western industrial area for the fifth straight night last night and caused extensive damage in the Ruhr, Cologne and Hanover areas, the air ministry ministry said today.
 Industrial targets were set afire and extensive damage was done in all areas attacked, the air min- istry asserted.
 The damage was done in the heart of Germanys heavy industry. A smaller force of bombers at. tackled the docks at Dunkirk, on the French invasion coast, and planes of the fighter command at tackled airdromes in occupied France Loss of three planes in the nights operations was admitted.
 By daylight yesterday, British planes swept the German, Dutch and French coasts, the ministry said They attacked and damaged three German supply ships and were be- neved to have sunk one German motor torpedo boat, it was said. :. i A ship of about 1000 tons was hit at the mouth of the Ems river and the crew was seen to abandon ship the ministry asserted. A ship of A. 900 tons in 8 convoy off the Hague was hit and set afire, it was added and escorting anti-aircraft ships were machine-gunned. Off the Dutch coast the motor-torpedo boa' was believed sunk and supply shir of about 5000 tons which 1t was es' corting was damaged, the Ministry said.
 In their raids Saturday night, thu fourth straight night of bombinf western Germany, British planes 1T considerable strength" bombed th' Cologne area while coastal command planes escorted by fighters swep the channel and occupied France attacking German air fields and de- stroying three German fightel planes in air battles.
 Penetrate Axis Lines
 London, June 16-(UP)-Britisl imperial forces, driving from the Sol lum area of the Egyptian-LibyaI frontier, have penetrated the Ger man and Italian lines to distanc' of more than 40 miles. it was assert ed authoritatively today.
 Imperial mechanized forces, strik ing out from Sollum on the Egyptian frontier, drove to a position 40 mile west of Bardia, the Italian fort ol the Libyan side of the border, l was reported. An authoritative statement sait first, that British patrols were ac tive in the Sollum region, and then that they had destroyed 12 Italial motor vehicles Friday night in tn Cambut sector. This is 70 mile west of Bardia. Yesterday, it was added, Britisl d forces made 8 focal" advance Il f the Sollum region.
 It was indicated that so far a . least, the British drive was no on a big scale and might have bee made to feel out the strength of tn German and italian forces. Take Offensive
 Cairo. June i6-(UP)-Britis
 middle eastern headquarters report
 ed today that imperial troops hay , taken the offensive against enem positions south and southeast ( , sollum in the western desert. . The British command reporte } that ''operations are continuing" } (Tn London it was reported tha the British have thrust % miles wes