GERMANS IN ATHENS

Greymouth Evening Star, 28 April 1941, Page 7

GERMANS IN ATHENS

POPULACE SURPRISED

BRITISH FIGHT FOR TIME

[by cable— press assn.—copyright.]

LONDON, April 27. ; The British United Press Athens [ correspondent says:—German advance | guards entered Athens on Sunday I morning at 10 o’clock. Mechanised ■ German forces followed. The Swastika has been hoisted on the Acropolis. The Berlin radio states: German .troops entered Athens at 11.17 a.m. on Sunday. A News Agency report from Athens • states: The first German troops were greeted with enthusiasm by Germans who had stayed. The Greek popula- • tion watched the troops march in. i They remained calm. Expressions of I surprise were repeatedly heard at the 1 sudden appearance of the German; troops. >: There are few reports of the fight-; ing, but it is clear that the campaign . in Greece is nearing its end. [i The Athens radio said the British' rearguard was carrying out a success- . ful delaying action, but it emphasised' that this was only to gain time to': enable the main forces to detach [■ themselves. j

RECKLESS BRAVERY.

The Cairo correspondent of the British United Press, in an earlier message, said the advanced British units were reported to be displaying almost reckless braveny against the Germans, sacrificing their lives in order to assure the withdrawal of their comrades. The Anzacs were reported to be contesting every inch of ground. North-west of Athens they counterattacked successfully on several occasions. Enemy pressure showed no signs of slackening. According to an agency message from Athens, authoritative sources stated that the Germans in the westward had reached Missolonghi, famed for its connection with Lord Byron, and in the.eastward had reached a point south ol Thebes. A German communique issued on Saturday said that alpine and mechanised troops, after overcoming the position at Thermopylae, defeated the British troops east of the pass near Molos and took several hundred prisoners and captured 30 guns. Other; German troops from Thessaly crossed | to the island of Euboea and pressed! forward from Chalkis into the mainland. German troops had passed through Thebes, pursuing the enemy.

N.Z. UNIT WRECKS TANKS.

LONDON, April 26.

A correspondent in Athens says it is reliably reported that a New Zealand anti-tank unit wrecked 23 German tanks and repelled a panzer attack near Mount Oeta, west of Thermopylae. The Cairo correspondent of “The Times” writing on Friday says: “The British and Anzac troops are celeorating Anzac Day with their backs to the sea and against odds of at least 10 to one. The German casualties are stated to exceed the entire total of our expeditionary force, and we have destroyed more of their tanks than we sent to Greece.

“The German airmen, only half an hour away, are coming over the front line and villages with their machine-guns firing full blast. They come in such numbers that one of our bomber squadrons was unable to load bombs throughout the day, and the airmen devoted themselves to bringing down the Germans from the ground. “The Germans are also raiding the Mediterranean, bombing and ma-chine-gunning every craft, from fishing boats to steamers.”

GREEK PRESS COMMENTS.

LONDON, April 27

Hopelessly outnumbered, with the Germans sweeping in behind them from Euboea and others mercilessly driving on from Thebes and forcing their way to Athens by the Corinth road, the British and Anzac rearguards fought unfalteringly all yesterday to give their comrades time to effect their withdrawal. To-day as the battle surged to the very gates of Athens, they continued to exact a toll for every step of the German advance. Details of the operations are scarce, because Athens is cut off from the news of the fighting northward and communications to Peloponnesus are irregular. “All that we have toiled for for many generations has been destroyed.We face dark days, united in dignity, and patience.’” The newspaper “Proia” thus typifies the proud courage of the Greeks in their hour of All the newspapers and the radio echo unshakeable faith in the resurgence of a free Greece. The newspaper “Elmikon” says: “We looked and smiled at death. We fought like David against Goliath. Now we arm our hearts with patience.” Another newspaper says: “We face our adversity. We stay here because we are the masters. This land is sanctified by the blood of. our forefathers, our brothers, and our children.” The newspaper Estia says: “Cruel days await Greece. We are all convinced that' these sufferings will not be long.” The Athens radio said: “Hoid Greece in your hearts. Greece will revive. Greece will be great again.”

The Athens radio announcer on Saturday night said: “There is no war communique. There is no news from the front.” He added: “Greeks, ,]oin hands! Shut Greece within you, and live with the glory of our army! .Greece will live again, because she fought honestly for her rights and liberty!”

i HOMELAND TROOPS’ PART. ! (Recd. April 28, 11.55 a.m.). i LONDON, April 27. ! Major-General Sir Frederick Maurice, in'a letter to the “Sunday Dispatch,” complains that the news from a the Greek front is tardy and meagre. ,“I am sure that neither the commandeers in the field, nor the censor, deliberately withhold bad news, knowing that is no way to treat the British public, but, in view of what has happened recently, I doubt whether the great importance of giving the public i the facts promptly, particularly when {unpleasant, is fully realised at the 'front. I am also worried by the fact i that, in all the recent fighting in Lib!ya, Greece, and Abyssinia, we hear ;only of the deeds of the Anzacs, South African, and Indian troops. We all know that the Anzacs and others are the stoutest but are there no British troops fl*.ting? The casualty lists tell that they have been doing their bit, so why not say so"”’ • - PAPAGOS RETIRED.

; ATHENS, April 26. j General Papagos, the Greek Com-'mander-in-Chief, has been relieved of [his command at his own request. I A Greek Royal decree appoints M. Souderos as Acting-War Minister, M. Argyropoulos as Governor-General of the Aegean Islands. It also grants an amnesty for all political offences I committed in Crete, except those i against the security of the State. The J Cabinet has held its first meeting in Crete.

CAPTURE OF ISLANDS.

LEMNOS OFFERS DEFENCE

LONDON, April 26.

It is reported from Istanbul that the Germans have occupied Thasos Island and Skyros Island in the Aegean Sea, as well as Lemnos Island.

I It is announced in Athens that the ! Germans presented an ultimatum to the Prefect of Lemnos Island in the Aegean Sea, demanding the surrender of the island by midnight on Wednesday last. The Prefect requested inistructions from Athens. He was ordjered to do his duty as the honour of Greece demanded. At 5 o’clock on Friday morning, the Germans disembarked troops on Lemnos Island under the protection of planes. A I small Greek garrison, comprising police and a force of infantry, resisted until after 9 a.m. The Greek Minister of the Interior telegraphed to the Prefect: “Your battle has added another page to our national epic.” The Istanbul correspondent of the Associated Press,, of Great Britain says: The Germans are reported to be [planning to take Chios, thereby com[pleting the chain of islands to the Dodecanese Islands. Other reports say that the occupation of Lemnos and of Mitylene Islands enables the Germans to ship war materials from Greece and from the Dodecanese Islands to the Dardanelles. Two vessels have already passed to the Aegean Sea. Some astonishment is expressed that the British did not occupy these islands apd thus forestall the Germans.

TURKEY AND GERMANY.

ANKARA, April 27.

An agreement between Turkey and Germany has been initialled, for the exchange of goods up to the value of three hundred thousand Turkish pounds. Turkey supplies Germany with tobacco and medical goods.

LONDON, April 26

The London “Daily Herald’s” Istanbul correspondent says: “It is reliably reported that Turkey has refused an offer by Germany of the Grecian part of Thrace in return for complete military control of the Bosporus and the Dardanelles.

LOOT AT SALONIKA.

CAIRO, April 25

An Englishman, who escaped twen-ty-four hours after the Germans entered Salonika, reveals that the invaders began to plunder the city an hour after their entry. Proclamations ordered the citizens to give up gold, silver, and jewels. Squads of soldiers visited homes, seizing all ironware and brassware, including door-nobs and bedsteads. Others gathered up park and garden railings. Greek authorities had distributed food before the evacuation, but the Germans ordered ah food to be surrendered except enough for twenty-four hours for each family. All wireless sets were confiscated.

20.000 KILLED AT BELGRADE.

LONDON, April 27.

A special correspondent on the German frontier says: “Eye-witnesses from Jugoslavia say that the air raids on Belgrade killed 20,000 people. The Belgrade people now live like animals. They have no electricity and no water supply. Thousands of rotting corpses are still strewn in the streets, presenting a threat to the population, who draw their water from the Danube River. The Germans entered Belgrade on April 13 and filled trucks with goods pillaged from shops. Then they opened the gaols, and photographed the convicts who were looting, to provide themselves with an alibi. The Germans moved on, and left only a small garrison, which conscripted the citizens aged from 16 to 60 years, to clear the debris and collect the wounded and dead.