BRITISH PARATROOPERS YESTERDAY (WEDNESDAY) TOOK OVER THE TINY REBEL ISLAND OF ANGUILLA WITHOUT RESISTANCE FROM ITS 250-STRONG RAGGED HOME DEFENCE FORCE. THE PARATROOPERS LANDED BY RUBBER BOAT AND HELICOPTER AS DAWN CREPT OVER THE WHITE SAND BEACHES. THEY FANNED OUT THROUGH THE PALM TREES AND THE OCCUPATION WAS COMPLETE BEFORE MOST OF THE ISLANDERS WERE AWAKE.

THE ARRIVAL OF THE TROOPS COINCIDED WITH A LEAFLET DROP BY HELICOPTERS INFORMING THE ISLANDERS THAT BRITAIN WOULD NOT FORCE THE ANGUILLAINS TO LIVE UNDER AN ADMINISTRATION THEY DID NOT WANT. THE LEAFLETS ALSO ASKED THE 6,000 CARIBBEAN ISLANDERS TO CO-OPERATE IN RESTORING PEACE AND STABILITY.

ANGUILLA BROKE AWAY FROM FEDERATION WITH THE ISLANDS OF ST KITTS ??? NEVIS ON MAY 31, 1967, CLAIMING THE FEDERATION WAS DOMINATED BY ST KITTS AND THAT IT WAS BEING UNFAIRLY TREATED. THE ISLAND'S SELF-APPOINTED PRESIDENT, MR RONALD WEBSTER, WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY ARRESTED, BUT THREE OTHER PROMINENT ISLANDERS WERE TAKEN FOR POLICE QUESTIONING. ONE HAS SINCE BEEN DEPORTED.

A BRITISH FOREIGN OFFICE SPOKESMAN IN LONDON SAID AFTER THE ANGUILLA AIRSTRIP HAD BEEN SECURED BY THE TROOPS THAT MR ANTHONY LEE - A SENIOR BRITISH CIVIL SERVANT - HAD LANDED TO TAKE CHARGE AS "HER MAJESTY'S COMMISSIONER". MR LEE LIVED ON THE ISLAND FOR MORE THAN A YEAR FROM LATE 1967 AND HAD SOME FUNCTIONS AS COLONIAL ADMINISTRATOR.

THE BRITISH TAKEOVER HAS BEEN CRITICISED BY SEVERAL AFRICAN AND OTHER COUNTRIES AND WAS DEBATED AGAIN TODAY BY THE UNITED NATIONS SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON COLONIALISM. THE ANGUILLANS ARE TO ASK THE U.N. TO SUPERVISE A REFERENDUM WHICH WOULD ALLOW THE ISLANDERS TO DECIDE THEIR OWN FUTURE.