TRAGEDY OF GREECE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 114, 16 May 1941, Page 6

TRAGEDY OF GREECE

A SOLDIER'S LETTER

SWIFT CHANGE OF SCENE

A Wellington soldier's impression of Greece and its people is contained in a letter written by Sergeant Elliott Myers, 4th Field Regiment, New Zealand Artillery, to his wife. Sergeant Myers, who left with the First Echelon, is the son of Mr. John Myers, a wellknown Wellington merchant, and was born in Wellington. He was in action against the Germans at Mt. Olympus. Because of a septic hand he had to be evacuated before the final stages of the battle. He is now in Helwan Hospital, Egypt. The men, writes Sergeant Myers, were landed at Piraeus, the port of Athens, after an unpleasantly crowded trip in a small steamer, and drove for 27 miles to their camp. All along the route cheering crowds threw (lowers and leaves. "The Greeks have rather wonderful ideals,", he states. "They eat meat on one day only in the week —Sunday— as a self-denial for the war, and the women will not dance because the men are at war." From their main camp, the New Zealanders drove on through mountainous country to their battle positions, cheered at svery village by the whole population. Gifts of wine were brought out, an^ empty petrol tins were exchanged for delicacies. The honesty of the Greeks was in marked contrast to the Gypos. Drachma notes, ranging down to about 2in square in size, were a constant puzzle to the troops, as they ran 500 to 18s 9d. The men went on through the Olympus Pass. Gun pits were dug in various positions, and finally the battery took up positions in the pass itself Here Sergeant Myers received a poisonous insect bite, which soon turned septic. He could not obtain medical attention, and Cor days kept, going with the guns. Finally he walked back seven miles to find an Australian doe tor, who ordered him back to Athens. He was taken forty miles to a casualty clearing station, and then put aboard a train lor Athens. It was an fn« pleasantly slow trip and a painful one. Villages that had been full of laughing people were now blown to bits and deserted, and the outlook was 'cry sad.

"We were on the train for 26 hours," he states. "After two days in hospital at Athens we came back over here, thank goodness to a New Zealand hos' pital."

Sergeant Myers added that he had struggled with his kit as far as Athens. but had later lost his gear, including many personal belongings.