BRITISH LEADER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 86, 12 April 1941, Page 8

BRITISH LEADER.

GREEK COMMAND. German Concentrations Badly Hammered By R.A.F. British Official Wireless. (Reed. 2 p.m.) RUGBY, Aq>ril 11. It is officially announced that Lieutenant-Gencral Sir H. M. Wilson is in command of the British Army troops in Greece, under the direction of General Papagos, Commander-in-Chief of the Greek Arm}-. General Wilson became C.O.C. British troops in Egypt in 1939. In this position he was responsible for the defence of the Western Desert frontier during the difficult months after the collapse of France and the entry of Italy into the war. From the beginning of December onwards he directed operations which carried the British front to Bengasi and

bevond.

A British Air Force communique from Greece states that extremely bad weather continued in the north throughout yesterday, but R.A.F. -bombers and fighters were active. An enemy motor transport column was bombed near Monastir and lighters machine-gunned trucks and troops on the Monastir aerodrome, causing many casualties.

Armoured columns on the road between Fiorina and Pilcp were bombed successfully from low altitudes. Direct hits were registered on two large vehicles and another was seen to overturn aiwl catch fire. Railway stores at Kcnali, Yugoslavia, were bombed and vehicles and troops machine-gunned. From all operations all of the British machines returned.

From "somewhero" in Yugoslavia, the Yugoslav Iligli Command eavs that the enemy continues to advance in the valley of the Morava, occupying Taracin and Cuprijii, says a cable message. The enemy had little suce'ess on the northern front, the vigilant action of our troops halting him in the Virovitca eector. There was slight activity on the Italian front. Enemy parachutists were dropped in several places but all were rounded up and taken prisoners.

"There is 110 change in the situation in Albania. There was little aircraft activity because of bad weather."

As far as could l>c ascertained this communique was drawn up at prior to midnight on Thursday.

"Do Or Die'' Groups Holding Out

The Athens radio announced that the Greek "do or die" groups cut off on the Bulgarian frontier are still holding out. The patriotism, coolness and determination of these soldiers will remain a unique example of heroism.

•Elsewhere contact between the German and Greek forces, which was broken off before the capture of Salonika, has not been re-established, and the whole situation since the penetration of the German column through the uncovered (.-'reek Hank to Salonika is still fluid.

The Germans have spread out unhindered in the valley of Salonika, without hastening to make contact with the defensive line established by the Allies, and it is not known when this extensive contact will occur. Meanwhile, the dispositions of the Allied forces have been completed with the view to foreseen eventualities.

Two Italian attacks in the northern sector of the Albanian front were crushed and only a few of the attacking force survived.

The Athens spokesman later announced that the Greek artillery had smashed another Italian attack, and the Italians had suffered severe losses.

Athens radio says that dispatches from the front show that neither the tiermans nor the Italians succceded in annihilating the substantial Greek forces. Xo new German advances are reported in Yugoslavia. The Germans reaching Xish, Skoplje and Prilcp have apparently made no further progress towards Albania.