GERMAN DIFFICULTIES

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 70, 20 September 1943, Page 5

GERMAN DIFFICULTIES

GARRISONING OF BALKANS

RUGBY, September 18,

Italian troops doing garrison duty in the Balkans before Italy's capitulation are now estimated to have been at least 200,000, and their sudden exit from the war has created a void which the Germans are finding it hard to fill.

Commenting on the resultant situation "The Times" says that the effective military force of the Axis having been halved by this surrender, Yugoslav patriot bands have been able to extend their control. They can now occupy railways and towns and reap a rich reward from their two years of heroism and endurance.

At times there has been fierce antagonism and even conflict between their two sections, one commanded by the more conservative General Mikhailovitch and the other by the Communist leader who won fame under the name of Tito. Thanks to the intervention of Allied Staff officers posted to their headquarters, the efforts of the two leaders are now being more harmoniously co-ordinated. Disorganisation of the Italian divisions has given them ample supplies of arms and ammunition. The results are already evident.

Croatia is only awaiting a signal from a British land officer serving in the Croat guerrillas to rise against the Germans, says Reuters correspondent. The Croatian quisling newspaper "Nova Hrvatska" says that the officer is "Major Jones." The guerrilla army has been reorganised on the Russian model, and has ten generals, five of whom were formerly Yugoslav staff officers. There are 5000 other officers.—B.O.W: