SOME ANZACS RETURN

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 179, 26 April 1941, Page 11

SOME ANZACS RETURN

Troops’ Grim Arrival In Alexandria BATTLE FOR ATHENS

(By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) , Received April 25, 10.50 p.m. LONDON, April 25. i The Alexandria correspondent of the “Daily Express” says: “Back to rejoin their comrades of the main Imperial forces came men of Anzac regiments today, rnud-stained and exhausted, but grimly ready to fight again as soon as they have rested.” i Athens radio went off the air at 9 o’clock last night and resumed at midnight to announce the “final decisive battle before the gates of Athens.” It stated: The battle is now under way. The situation is serious.” > News of the Greek situation was conspicuously lacking during last night, but the German official news agency, after claiming that part of the Empire forces have already embarked, added that the British have left only covering troops. The German army, it says, has been ordered to occupy Athens without too much damage.

The German radio declared that the German forces are advancing rapidly and the Luftwaffe has been ordered to make the British retreat as costly as possible and to dive-bomb all vessels moving along the eastern and southern coasts of Greece. The military spokesman in the Wilhelmstrasse explained that the British had caused delay in the wild, mountainous country by blowing up bridges, roads and houses in order to gain every possible minute before the embarkation. Big transport vessels are being used at the large ports and swarms of small craft of the Dunkirk type are crowding every inlet, bay and cove in southern Greece, embarking without delay all comers indiscriminately.

' , LONDON, April 24. British General Headquarters m Cairo states: “In Greece yesterday our troops were in contact with the enemy, but no important engagements took place.” This follows yesterday’s communique, which stated that the Empire forces were consolidating their new defensive positions. . Yesterday's R.AJ. communique said that the enemy’s air attacks on Allied aerodromes in Greece had been heavy bp t the damage done was slight. “Eighty Thousand Anracs.”

The Athens correspondent of the Swiss newspaper “Neue Zuercher Zeitung,” who is now in Ankara, says there are 80,000 Anzacs in Greece, and though they ore well-equipped they are no match far the 25 German divisions which, are arrayed against them. The Greeks have unanimously paid tribute to the heroic resistance of the Empire forces. The Greek public is very disappointed because there are no signs of the arrival of the American help which was promised recently. The Athens correspondent of tue “Daily Mail” yesterday said that some Greek units were still in the front line, but the full responsibility of holding the front rested on the British command. According to the military commentator of the French news agency in Vichy the surrender of the Greek army’on the Albanian front has laid open the area bounded by the Pindus Mountains, the lonian Sea, and the Gulf of Patros. Military commentators in London say there is no truth in a rumour originating from German sources that the left flank of the Empire forces hag been turned. ■' A German communique yesterday stated: “German forces today engaged British reinforcements in the historic • Pass of Thermopylae.”

According to a message from Home yesterday, the newspaper “Giornale d’ltalia” stated: “With the Germans 85 miles from Athens, British troops have begun to embark at Piraeus, Kalamata, and Nauplia.” Ankara reports that part of the British colony in Athens has arrived in the Greek island of Khios, near the Turkish coast in the Aegean Sea. The Istanbul correspondent of the British United Press says diplomatic circles estimate Germany’s casualties in Greece so far at 75,000 dead and 200,000 wounded., Neutral diplomats from Rumania say the hospitals in Bucharest are full of German wounded and houses are being requisitioned -for train-loads of wounded which are still arriving. Rome radio today claimed that the occupation of all the islands in the Adriatic Sea, including the Yugoslav group in front of Sibenik and the islands between Split and Dubrovnik has now been completed. Increasing Difficulty. LONDON, April 23. The position on the Allied left wing In Greece is now regarded as critical. The terrific German pressure and bombing is beginning to tell, and the task of the British Imperial forces is growing increasingly difficult. The Germans, who are massing their divisions for an attack on the new Allied line, have an air armada, which Is estimated by the Athens correspondent of the “Daily Herald” to comprise a_t least 1000 bombers, divebombers, and fighters.

King George of the Hellenes and the Greek Government arrived in the island of Crete this evening. The Alexandria correspondent of the "Daily Express” says that an observer just back from the battlefields in Greece declared that by holding up the main body of the German army for 100 hours in face of tf blitz campaign waged with every weapon, the Anzacs saved the Allied forces from encirclement.

One body of Australians, encircled by the enemy and unable to shoot their way out because of shortage of ammunition, decided on a bayonet charge, despite the fact that they were confronted with mechanized forces in addition to the German infantry. Such a charge would have meant certain annihilation for the majority, but just as the' Australians emerged from their positions two Hurricanes swooped down and machine-gunned the Germans, who scattered wildly, whereupon the Australians escaped with only slight casualties.

A group of New-Zealanders guarding a flank lost contact with their comrades. When they needed help they counter-attacked advancing Germans and captured undamaged a motor-cycle, cn which a grinning New Zealander roared away with an S.O.S. to headquarters.

RUMOUR ANSWERED

LONDON, April 23.

In the House of Lords the Minister of Colonies, Lord Moyne, in reply to a question, said there was no foundation whatever for a rumour that General Wavell’s powers had been curtailed. He enjoyed the full confidence of the Government, said Lord Moyne.