MAIN OBJECTIVE FAILS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 118, 21 May 1941, Page 7

MAIN OBJECTIVE FAILS

LONDON, May 20.

German parachute troops, disguised as members of the New Zealand armed forces, have today been landed on the island of Crete, which, since the fall of Greece, has been the seat of the King and Government of Greece.

This news was given by the Prime Minister (Mr. Churchill) in the House of Commons, who intimated that most of the Germans engaged in the operation had been accounted for* The situation, though serious, he said, was not regarded in any sense as being out of hand.

The ■ number ■of Germans landed on the island appears to have been about 1500. They reached Crete by parachute, troop-carrying planes, ancl gliders, having taken off from German-occupied aerodromes in Greece.

Mr. Churchill said that apparently the capture of Malemi was the. enemy's main objective, and that so far had .failed. He went on: "A later message reports continued enemy reconnaissance accompanied by sporadic bombing and machinegunning, directed chiefly against anti-aircraft defences. A military hospital between Canea and Malemi has now been recaptured by us."

The Prime Minister further reported a fairly strong enemy force south of Canea, which had not yet been dealt with.

The German troops were landed in New Zealand army^battle dress, said Mr. Churchill, following some intensive bombing of Suda Bay, the Cretan naval base, and various local aerodromes.

He.said.that the Royal Air Force had been aware of certain preparations going forward at German-occu-pied Greek aerodromes, and for several nights past had been fiercely attacking these aerodromes and air force concentrations upon them. Much damage was believed to have been done.

It is now clear that the activity at these aerodromes, reported by British aircraft was the prelude to the present attack. Canea is the principal seaport and capital of the island on the northern coast, but big ships anchor at Suda Bay a few. miles to the east.

For ' a > belligerent nation to use troops wearing enemy uniforms is a breach of international law, and there has been much speculation in London today about the fate of those wearing them.

Experts say that unless such troops wear the uniform of the forces to which they belong they are not entitled to the protection of international law, which regards captured troops as prisoners of war with certain

well-defined privileges. They would, in fact, be classed as spies.

Concluding his statement in the House of Commons, Mr. Churchill said: "Our troops in Crete—men from Britain, New Zealand, and Greece—are under the command of Major-General Freyberg, V.C, and we feel confident that a most stern and resolute resistance will be offered to the enemy."