GREECE AWAITS ATTACK

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23108, 26 August 1940, Page 7

GREECE AWAITS ATTACK

Italians Whip Up Feeling

TROOPS MOVE IN MACEDONIA

(tTOTED PRESS ASSOCIATION—OOPTBIGHTJ (Received August 25, 9 p.m.) ATHENS. August 24. The "Daily Mail” correspondent at Vodena, in Macedonia, states: "Half a million men stand to arms within a radius of 100 miles of this town, awaiting an Italian attack. Long lines of lorries filled with war-kitted troops are on the move to Kastoria. This hot, wild waterless country, with mountains rising 7500 feet, bars the Italians’ way along most of the Albanian frontier. “North-west Greece, for motorised units or tanks, is almost impassable. The only practical route would be through Monastir, in Jugoslavia. “The Greek troops are very keen and very pro-British. Their morale is enormously strengthened by renewed assurances of Turkish and British support.” Conferences between the Greek Prime Minister (General Metaxas) and his defence chiefs have resulted in greatly increased Greek preparedness. Wardens are watching the whole coast. Italian and British warships are both reported to be cruising off Crete. Special categories of Greek searchlight, machine-gun and mechanised units were called up on Friday for a month’s training. Columns of Italian mountain troops are reported to be occupying strategic passes on the Albanian-Greek border. To-night the Minister for the Interior (Colonel Dourentis) received a report from the island of Ceriogotto that Italian aeroplanes bombed warships for two hours. All steamers in inter-island services remained in harbour last night. It is stated that the sailings were cancelled to avoid the danger of being mistaken for enemy vessels. The Greek Government has requisitioned 2500 tons of petrol, some o‘ which is being sent to the Albanian It is stated in Rome that Italians and Albanians are whipping up an antiGreek campaign. The Rome radio alleges that the Greeks, are continuing to arm the gendarmerie and other frontier inhabitants. Italian Charges Albania’s anti-Greek newspaper “Tomori” declares that Greece is planning the dissolution of its Albanian minorities and says that the Greek authorities have hired robber bands to wipe out the populations in Albanian villages. It alleges that the Greeks have virtually closed the frontier, thereby preventing, food reaching Albanian border districts, where crops have failed, and also isolating the Albanians from their properties and businesses in Greece. 4»

The Italian publicist. Dr. Gayda, reiterates that Albanian-Greek frontier revision cannot be long delayed, and Italy’s claim on behalf of Albania is expected to be officially announced soon jn the Albanian Parliament. Authoritative sources in Rome deny that Italy has presented an ultimatum to Greece, but a high Fascist official said that Italy would invade Greece if the British occupied any Greek island. In denying an ultimatum to Greece the Official Italian News Agency said: “It is pointed out that the authors of this fantastic piece of news lose sight of the fact that the British guarantee is no longer of any value, therefore it cannot be made the object of an ultimatum.”

Meanwhile the Italian radio has stated that the Greek, authorities have committed another murder in Albania, The Albanian newspaper “Tomori” had revealed that a man was found hanged to a tree. His death was described as suicide, but a further investigation disclosed information which changed the picture. Close Watch in London

Developments in Greece are being closely studied in London, states a British Official Wireless message. There is no indication, however, that the situation has undergone any fundamental change. There is no confirmation here that Italy has given a 24-hour ultimatum calling upon Greece to renounce the British guarantee and emphatic denials are made both in Rome and Athens.

Another report, which is categorically denied in London, is that the British forces have occupied the islands of Crete and Corfu. This report, no doubt, originated in Italian propaganda. Since the outbreak of war, Greece has maintained strict neutrality, and it is significant of Greece’s determination to maintain friendly relations with her neighbours that this attitude has been preserved throughout the recent period of tension provoked by the sinking of a Greek mine-laying cruiser and the bombing by Italians of two destroyers. The British attitude towards the developments in Greece has undergone ; no change. The Government stands firmly by its obligations under the j guarantee which was contained in Mr j Chamberlain’s statement in the House of Commons on April 13, 1939, that “in the event of any action being taken which dearly threatens Greece’s inde- , pendence. the British Government would feel bound at once to lend the Greek Government all support in its ; power.” |

THE ARANDORA STAR j RESCUE j

HELP FROM CANADIAN ! DESTROYER j I (BRITISH OE7ICUL WIRELESS.) RUGBY, August 24. Many of the survivors of the Aran* dora Star owe their lives to the speed willi which the Canadian destroyer Si. Laurent raced to the scene. The Arandora Star, taking German and Italian internees to Canada, was torpedoed ' by a U-boat without warning on June

The St. Laurent, which was at sea off the west coast of Scotland, was ordered to proceed to the rescue. Giuded by a Sunderland flying-boat, which rendered the greatest assistance during the rescue, the Canadian destroyer found 10 lifeboats crowded with survivors and the sea "littered for two or three miles with rafts and light wreckage, to which were clinging many other survivors.

The destroyer came to a standstill in the middle of the wreckage area, and sent out all her lifeboats. These, with the boats of the Arandora Star, which were supplied with fresh crews, succeeded in embarking 850 survivors. Food and warm drinks were provided for them in the destroyer. The carrying and feeding of such a number of persons in a ship the size of a destroyer was itself a considerable feat, but it was made easier by the conduct of many of the survivors who gave every assistance within their power, especially tv. o doctors, one German , and the other Austrian, who worked throughout the nicht attending to the injured and distressed.