BALKAN ACTIVITY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 63, Issue 220, 28 June 1943, Page 3

BALKAN ACTIVITY

HASTY GERMAN DEFENCES. BLACK SEA AND GREEK COAST. WORK BY SLAVE LABOUR. (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright.) (Rec. 12.51 a.m.) LONDON, June 27. The Germans are driving gangs of slave: labourers, comprising Greeks, Jews and Russian prisoners, to work day and night building hasty defences along the Black Sea and Creek coast, says Reuter’s correspondent at Algiers.

Since the beginning of June two trains daily loaded with cement and iron and steel bars have been arriving in Greece from Bulgaria, destined for the Salonika and Thermopylae region. The whole Black Sea coast, especially Burgas and Varna, is a scene of feverish activity. 'The Germans show signs of panic and appear to expect blows oven in the most unlikely places.

General Mikhailovitch is leading a grim battle in Southern Yugoslavia, at the head of 50,000 or 60.000 1 Ohetnik guerillas, and is harassing the vital South Yugoslavian railways, according to an authoritative Yugoslav source. The Chotniks are still attacking after the Bimester campaign by the Sth Division of the Axis punitive Corps, who are determinedly trying to wipe out resistance. The guerillas recently recaptured Klin, in Dalmatia. Fighting in tilt last month: has taken place over a wide area in Bosnia, Herjcgovina, Dalmatia, Montenegro and the Drina sector of Bosnia. The Axis failed to bring General Mikhailovitch to a standstill fight. He is master of a big stretch of mountain country flanking the main Yugoslav railway connection with Greece, Belgrade, Nish and the Salonika line.

All political prisoners in the gaols and concentration camps in. Southern and Central Italy have been urgently transferred to North Italy, where new concentration camps are being built, according to a report from Geneva. A total of 3000 prisoners are being transferred.

An Ankara message says that 17 of the 50 Tiger tanks for delivery under the Turkish-German, trade agreement have arrived. A Stockholm message says that all the entrances to Atlantic harbours will he barred by a screen of burning oil spread over the surface of the water when the attack comes, state German newspapers when referring to. Goehbels, who is playing up oil' as Germany’s new invasion weapon. The Ger - man press also publishes pictures of concrete anti-tank traps guarding the Italian coast.