TOUGH RESISTANCE IN ATHENS

Dominion, Volume 38, Issue 68, 14 December 1944, Page 7

TOUGH RESISTANCE IN ATHENS

Some Reinforcement Of British FIERCE FIGHT IN CENTRE (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Received December 13, 1 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 13. Lieutenant-General Scobies communique from Athens last night stated: “There has been no slackening m rebel resistance, though some progress has been made in the,Piraeus and several sectors of Athens. The rebels have renewed shelling with 75mm. «uns on an increased scale, causing casualties, including some military. There has been extensive rebel infiltration into the city area that has been cleared in the past few days. . , . n . “Snipers, many dressed as civilians, are picketing all routes out of the city. The rebels laid mines in the mam road on Sunday night, hampering movement and causing a few casualties to ou troops and vehicles. Heavy mortar fire was again directed against Navy House in the Piraeus. Reinforcements have landed and som progress has been made against heavy resistance m the past IZ h ° UrS "The position elsewhere in Greece is generally uneasy. ■ - * »i. 1 nr' Action

I the E.LA.S. forces must leave Attica (the province of which Athens is the ' capital) and (2) that the E.L.A.fe. must : surrender,all arms. The emissary is now reporting the terms to the e.l.a.s. ! Meanwhile, the fighting is still hot. and ELA.S. 75-millimetre guns have been shelling the British headquarters, the Grand Bretagne Hotel, all day. Reuter’s correspondent says that though communications in Athens are normal there are indications that difficulties are facing correspondents in getting, their . dispatches to the cable office, which is I situated near the square, where fierce fighting and machine-gunning are going I on.

It was also officially stated yesterday that the Government forces in the | centre of Athens had been forced to : yield at least 12 blocks of the city, and that fierce fighting was continuing. ■ British troops, according to an Athens correspondent, raided the Athens radio station and withdrew after removing the station’s equipment. The annual conference of the Britisn Labour Party today adopted the following emergency resolution, which had been proposed by the executive committCC' Aim of Armistice. | “The conference deeply regrets the I tragic situation which has arisen in Greece and calls on the British Govern- [ inent most urgently to take, all necessary steps to facilitate an armistice without delay and secure a resumption ot conversations among all sections of the people who resisted the Fascist and Nazi invaders with a view to establishing a provisional national Government, which would proceed to a free and fair general election as soon as practicable in order that the Greek people may express their “The conference looks forward to the establishment of a strong democratic svstem bringing peace, happiness / and reconciliation to our generous and heroic Greek allies.” . The resolution had been drafted attei consultation with trade unions who had sent in as many as two dozen separate resolutions. The’ party treasurer, Mr. Arthur Greenwood, said the situation was horrifying, appalling and dangerous. Military measures would never settle it; it called for statesmanship. “I am glad to think that the Ambassador to Greece is to be in a sense superseded by a man of Cabinet rank, and that General -Scobie now. takes orders from the commander-in-chief in that area, Field-Marshal Alexander," he said, lie added that some delegates might try to turn the debate into an'attack on Mr. Churchill, but it should be on the level of an effort to champion, the cause of the Greek people and their future. - Sir. Ernest Bevin, speaking as a member of the Government as well as of the Labour Party, said that the steps taken in Greece were not the decisions of Mr. Churchill but the decisions of the whole Cabinet. It had been working for nearly four years trying to find the best way to handle the terrifying problems that would arrive at the end of the war. Stability of Greece was vital for the stability and ultimate settlement of the Balkans as a whole. ALEXANDER VISITS ATHENS Aim Of Speedy Solution

LONDON, December 12. The arrival in Athens of Field-Marshal Alexander, Commander-in-Chief of the Allied forces in the Mediterranean, and Mr. Harold Macmillan, resident. Minister at Allied headquarters in the Mediterranean, is reported from the Greek capital. Field-Marshal Alexander is reported to have been immediately joined by Lieutenant-General Scobie, who is directing operations against the rebel forces from a hotel in tbe capital. Mr. Macmillan will have tbe aid of Field-Marshal Alexander in attempts to end the troubles in Greece, says the “Daily Express.’’ Field-Marshal Alexander will be responsible for military affairs in Greece. They are acting on instructions received from Whitehall to bring the fighting to an end as speedily as possible. It is left to them to decide whether this can best be achieved by firmer military action to suppress those who are resisting the Greek Government or by attempts at conciliation. It is probable that they will try a little of each. The "Daily Mail's’’ diplomatic correspondent says that Field-Marshal Alexander and Mr. Macmillan have been instructed to report immediately to Cabinet, and Mr. Churchill is expected to > give the House of Commons an account of — Field-Marshal Alexander’s findings and recommendations as soon as possible. A later message says that Field-Mar-shal Alexander has left Athens after his talks with Mr. Harold Macmillan and General Scobie. EXTENT OF CONTROL IN GREECE Athens Town Hall Fight LONDON, December 12. The whole of Greece is under the control of E.L.A.S. forces except, the Piraeus Peninsula, said the National Broadcasting Companv' correspondent in a broadcast from Athens. He added: “I don’t knowhow long I can continue these broadcasts, for communications may be cut at any time.” . British troops were forced to withdraw last night under pressure in Ambelokipo, the north-eastern suburb of Athens. It.A.F. planes this morning attacked E.L.A.S. reinforcements moving up to 1 Athens five miles north of the city. The British made some advances yesterday in Sio lower part of the, Piraeus Peninsula. The Athens correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain says that fierce fighting went on in the centre of the cit.v all night, and is continuing this morning. The town hall was set on fire during the fighting, and several other fires are still blazing in the market, district. There were two big explosions this morning. buildings apparently being dynamited. British Perimeter Aim. Reuter’s Athens correspondent states that a three hours’ battle between British troops installed in post, offices and groups of E.L.A.S. troops occupying. the town hall was fought during the night. A tank finally intervened, firing on the upper storeys of the town hall and starting a blaze in the left wing. The town hall was in flames all night. E.L.A.S. troops reoccupied the rest of the building this morning and now hold the town hall and adjacent, afreets. The British plan appears Io lie the establishment of a perimeter north of the British-held centre of the town and in the eastern suburbs in which to base installations. This is being done in anticipation of larger reinforcements, which are expected shortly. The E.L.A.S. forces arc co-ordinating their efforts in the centre of the citv in an effort to force the issue before the arrival of the British reinforcements. The Athens correspondent of the Exchange Telegraph agency says that E.L.A.S. forces nt noon today attempted to advance against the university chemical laboratory, which is held by the British, but that fife British troops repulsed them.

M. Militiades Porphvrogenis. Minister of Labour in M Papandreou’s Cabinet before the uprising came, was an emissary from the E.L.A.S. to ask General Scobie’s terms for a meeting' which was suggested and arranged by a neutral intermediary. General Scobie’s terms were (1) that all

MOUNTAIN BRIGADE

Loyal Supporters Of Greek Government EFFICIENT REGULAR UNIT (Official War Correspondent, N.Z.E.F.) ATHENS, December 11. At least one New Zealander was active]y concerned in the first pitched battles of the Greek civil war now being fought in the Athens area. He is LieutenantColonel E. W. Aken, of Rotorua, who for some time has been serving as liaison officer with the Greek Mountain BriHis acquaintance with Athens has been a lon- one. On the black Sunday of April 27, 1041, he had the strange experience of dodging down Athens streets when the Nazi flag was already flying from the Acropolis. His own New Zealand brigade was then 30 miles away at Markopoulon and Portorafti, waiting for darkness and the Royal Navy. He escaped at length to rejoin the division for most of its subsequent fighting. When the Greek Brigade came under the New Zealand command LieutenantColonel Aken was posted to his present duties. He was with the Greeks in Italy when they fought so well at Rimini. Soon after that he marched with the brigade through the streets of Athens. Then, a week ago, trouble started, lhe formation, which here is referred to as the “Rimini brigade,” had for some time been a bone of contention in the long wrangles concerning the handing in of the arms and equipment of the guerrilla forces. Intended Army Nucleus.

Actually it was intended that the brigade should form the neucleus ot the national army. It was and is under suspicion by the Leftists as being solidly Royalist and its disbandment was demanded. Though the brigade members undoubtedly have a passionate interest in Greek politics, they have behaved unquestionably as members of an efficient fighting force and. the charges of political activity are quite baseless. The brigade can be regarded as loyal servants of the Government in the fierce civil war which the E.A.M. and E.L.A.S. have precipitated. The battles of yesterday and today have shown the sterling fighting qualities of the men ot the Mountain Brigade. Yesterday they staved off a threat to the city by eliminating large bodies of E.L.A.S. troops on hills north-east of the Goudhi barracks, .today they again launched an attack on E.L.A.S.-held territory. Tanks - and armoured cars crept round behind the rebels, and the Greek soldiers sprung the trap by attacking directly, against the positions. The battle was. still going on this afternoon when I visited the brigade, but already 200 prisoners had been taken. The men of the brigade have become even keener since they learned from prisoners that,E.L.A.S, troops have announced the intention of eliminating the Mountain Brigade.