British In Crete

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 126, 30 May 1941, Page 7

British In Crete

Western end of island

Pushed Back By Sheer Weight

Of Numbers

LONDON, May 29.

News received from Cairo tells about heavy fighting in Crete, where the British troops at the western end of the island have withdrawn to positions east of Suda Bay, in the face of further attacks by German forces, which have again been heavily reinforced. The Cairo communique which announces this says that dive-bombing was continued on an extensive scale, and that in hand-to-hand fighting yesterday the enemy and the defenders suffered heavily.

The British have abandoned Canea, the capital of Crete, which in the past few days has been the scene of much fighting.

f The troops have been pushed back by sheer weight of numbers. Heavy fighting is still in progress, and the position is changing all the time. The position at Retimo remains unchanged. t The Germans claimed this afternoon that they had occupied Heraclion, but there is no confirmation of this, and the Cairo spokesman said there had been further fighting there. It is stated in Cairo that the great work of the Royal Navy is still preventing the Germans landing any appreciable number of troops by sea

A report from Istanbul tonight says that the continued British resistance in Crete after eight days, during1 which the Germans have poured in everything they had from the Greek mainland, is making a great impression in Turkey. Observers point out the importance of the resistance,, which is preventing the Germans from going on with the next stage in their attempt to drive the Allies out of the eastern Mediterranean.

Tonight's R.A.F. communique from Cairo says that heavy attacks were continued against concentrations of German troops on the beaches in Crete and on the aerodrome at Malemi during Tuesday night. More than a hundred enemy aircraft on the beaches were successfully attacked. Several fires were started among them and a number of explosions caused.

The Italians claim that some of their troops have landed on Crete, but the "Giornale d'ltalia" does not say how they got there.

One estimate given in Cairo tonight is that 30,000 German troops have landed in Crete, but the situation is so confused that the figure is not claimed as an accurate estimate.