Evening star., 1941-05-04
o, the Associated Press.

D, the Associated Press.
LONDON, May 4 Sunday
British troops battling to pre-
serve the empires vast oil fields
in the Near East drove off 1rao
forces attacking in the Basra
area at the head of the Persian
Gull, it was learned in London
early today.
r. A. F. bombers and artillery
were thrown into action against the
Iraqi troops in this, the second bat
tie. area to develop in the suddenly
haring war in Iraq.
The British acknowledged last
night that planes and men had been
lost In two-day battle at Habbanl-
yah airdrome.
Two contingents of reinforce
ments have been landed in recent
days at Basra to help meet the
threat to the precious flow of oil to
the British Mediterranean fleet.
British quarters here branded As
untrue German reports that Indian
colonials had surrendered to the
Iraqi forces.
~, Guns Blasted Into Silence.
The official statement, admitting
that a number of our aircraft have
been destroyed on the ground and
sopne casualties have been sus-
tanned" said, however, that the r
A r. had paid the Iraqis back by
blasting some of their guns into
silence.
The battle continued last night
but. authoritative sources assert
ed. the oil which alone makes Irao
a prize worth fighting for still flows
by pipeline to the Mediterranean
Britain blames agents OF oil-hungry
Germany for provoking the two
day-old conflict.
The Iraq government, anti-British
since a coup d'etat placed Raschid
= Ali Al, Gallant in power as premier
April 4, claimed destruction OF "a
British planes at Habanayah, the
R.A. F. base so miles west OF Bagn-
dad. and said the British had lost
mechanical units in vain attack
on Rutbah (Rusba) fort and air
drorne, $50 miles west of Baghdad
The Ministry of Information saic
the Rutbah story was untrue, but
acknowledged destruction OF Hab-
baniyah planes, mostly trainers.
Blasted by Tons Of Shells.
A formal British ,communique
said Habbaniyah was entirely sur
rounded by Iraq troops entrencneo
In the high ground overlooking the
field and that since early Friday the
unfortifed cantonment had been
blasted by tons of artillery shells.
Some of the guns were smashed
by British bombers, but the Shelllng
at point-blank range continues, ana
the Irau air force has tried to raid
the airdrome, the British officials
stated. ..
"As regards Iraqi claims to have
occupied oil wells and all airdromes
of the country" said the Ministry
ef Information, sit should be point
ed out that these have always been
In Iraoi hands with the single ex-
ception of Shaiba Airdrome, near
Basra, where so far as is known no
hostile action has been attempted.
Authoritative British sources said
they were unable to reconcile this
declaration with the fact that be-
fore the war the R. A. r. was known
to have operated several airdromes
in Iraq and that this number pre-
sumably had been increased rather
than decreased. o.
Reports Heard on Nazi Radio.
The German radio kept up run
ming comment of sensational declar-
ations concerning the Iraq strug-
gle even while German ofnclaldom
professed relative disinterest.
Overheard in London, these
broadcasts included assertions that
British planes tried to raid the
Bagdad residence of the Premier;
That one British plane was snot
down In two r. A. F. raids on Iraq
80 TrAN nore ASl