Current Events July 1, 1942: CRIMEAN PENNUSULA FALLS TO GERMANS:

                                            San Mateo Times

                     SAN MATEO, CALIFORNIA, "WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 1942

BATTLE FOR EGYPT BEGUN

   Berlin Says Sevastopol Falls

    Big U. S. Carrier Ferrying Planes to Aid of Malta

           Hitler ClaimsNaval Base inGerman HandsBERLIN,

July 1.—(German broadcast recorded in New York by' United Press)

The Russian Black Sea naval base of Sevastopol, under siege since last November, fell at noon today after 25 day's of incessant hammering by axis forces, it was stated tonight in a special communique. The announcement, issued from Adolf Hitler's headquarters, said German and Rumanian flags were flying in Sevastopol. The naval base was the last Russian stronghold in the Crimean peninsula. The German communique said the remnants of the garrison had withdrawn to the Kersoneski peninsula, directly west of Sevastopol.

U. S, Air Drivers At War Fronts, Commons Told

LONDON, July 1. — (U.P) —

United States dive bombing planes have reached or are on their way to various theaters of war, the government revealed today in Commons debate on the conduct of the war. The debate brought a charge ,that P r i m e Minister Winston Churchill had made "untrue and inaccurate" statement's on the situation in Libya, Oliver Lyttleton, production minister,who opened for the government, praised the work of United States General Grant tanks in Libya and intimated that had there been enough the scale might have been turned.

BRITISH GENERAL CALLSFOR SUPREME EFFORT TO DEFEAT ROMMEL

Cairo July 1.—(UP)—

The main battle on the Egyptian "desert font began early this morning in the El Alamein sector, about sixty miles from Alexandria.

CAIRO, Egypt, July l.--(U.P)—

Gen. Sir Claude Auchinleok called upon the British armed forces today for a supreme effort to "stick it out" until the Axis invasion cracks a major battle for Egypt that may already have started in the El Alamein sector, 60 miles from Alexandria naval base. Late advices from the. front said that, despite successful British counter-blows—that-slowed the enemy advance, the German columns had pushed 30 miles past El Daba and made contact with imperial positions in the El Alamein sector. An important battle may be in progress today in the Al Alameim sector, which the British still hold, these advices said, indicating that Auchinleck's stirring order of the day. was: issued as a Prelude to what may be a decisive engagement.

Fleet Gone, Claim 

(London dispatches .said" thatBritish commanders in Egypt were prepared if. necessary to block the Suez canal, render Alexandria naval base "useless if it should fall to the enemy and to remove, or destroy six French warships now at Alexandria. Axis reports .claimed the British fleet had already departed through the Suez Canal.