LAND, SEA AND AIR WARFARE ALLIED DEFENCE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20527, 10 April 1941, Page 8

LAND, SEA AND AIR WARFARE

ALLIED DEFENCE

CHECKING NAZIS CHURCHILL'S REVIEW AFRICA AND BALKANS BATTLE OF ATLANTIC RETRIBUTIVE JUSTICE (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (British Official Wireless.) Reed. 2 p.m. RUGBY. April 9. A motion upon which the Prime Minister, Mr. Winston Churchill, made his promised statement on the war situation in the House of Commons before the Parliamentary recess uivited the House on the occasion of the recent victories by sea, land and air in North Africa, Greece and the Mediterranean, to record with gratitude its high appreciation of the services of all ranks of His Majesty’s forces in these brilliant operations, and also of those who, by their labours and fortitude at home, furnished the means which made these successes possible.

A similar motion was moved in the House of Lords by Lord Moyne. In* the course of his statement Mr. Churchill said that the British and Imperial troops in the Balkans had not yet engaged the enemy. This was repeated this evening in official quarters on the basis of the latest reports. It was also stated that none of these troops were in the sector east of the Vardar.

Mr. Churchill reviewed the position in Africa and the Mediterranean, discussed the German campaign in the Balkans, dealt with the attitude of the Vichy Government and spoke optimistically of the growing air strength and soberly of the vital battle of the Atlantic.

Nazi Entry to Salonika

The account of the Balkans situation contained the announcement that the Germans had entered Salonika at 4 n.m. to-day, Wednesday, thus reaching one of the direct objectives of their diplomatic manoeuvres and -roop concentrations, the progress ol which had been watched in London with growing concern for many months. As a result of the German invasion of the Balkans, nations which had never wished to take part in the war and which were incapable of doing .he slightest injury to Germany must now tight to the death for freedom and the land of their fathers. Until Greece was treacherously invaded and now at the behest of the base Italian dictator, she had observed meticulous neutrality, and only when she appealed for aid did Britain’ give the support in the air and supplies which were possible. After- the Italian invasion the Gormans continued to behave in a most friendly manner to Greece, but meanwhile moved troops through Hungary and Rumania. More than two months ago. by traiterous connivance of the Bulgarian king and Government, advance parties of the German air force in plain clothes were gradually admitted and took possession of Bulgarian airfields. Many thousands of German soldiers had already percolated into Bulgaria before she formally acceded to the tripartite pact. Thereafter German troops poured in.

Efforts by Britain

Mr. Churchill then explained the counter-measures which Britain took with a view toyhelping the threatened States to save "themselves. At the end of February. Britain rent Mr. Anthony Eden and General Sir John Dill to the Middle East to see whether anything could be done .o form a united defensive front in the Balkans. They went to Athens and they went to Turkey. They would iave gone to Yugoslavia, but were refused nermission by the Government .nd the Regent Prince Paul. These three threatened States could together have disposed of fit) to 70 .jvjSiuiis which, it a good combined plan had been made and prompt united action taken, might have confronted the Germans with the prospect of resistance which might well have deterred them altogether and must, in any case, delay them for a long ,ime.

The Government, Mr. Churchill continued, was advised by its genera] on tlie spot, General Dill, and General Sir Archibald Wavell, and the Greek commander, General Papagos, both \ iclorious commanders, that they had a sound plan giving good prospects of success.

Hazard to be Faced

Of course, in all these matters there was a hazard. It remained to be seen how well these opposing risks and duties could have been judged: but ot this lie was sure, there was no less likely a way of winning the war than to adhere pedantically to the maxim of safety first. •

Therefore, in the first weeks of March the British entered into a military agreement with the Greeks and ,i considerable movement of British, and Imperial troops. and supplies, which had since developed, began. Dealing more particularly will Yugoslavia, Mr. Churchill commented in passing on the great military opportunity its Government had lost when if did not join the Greeks to throw the Italians out of Albania before the German forces appeared on the scene.

But the Government of Prince Pan l , untaught by-the fate of so many smaller countries of Europe, not only observed the strictest neutrality but refused even to enter into effective staff conversations with Greece, Turkey or Britain, but hugged the delusion that it could preserve independence by patching up some sort of a pact or compromise with Herr Hitler

Summoned to Footstool

“Presently the weak, unfortunate prince and afterwards his Ministers were summoned,' like others before them, to Herr Hitler’s footstool and a pact was signed which would have given the Germans complete control, not only over the body and also the soul of the Slav nation," continued Mr„ Churchill. “ Then at last the people saw their peril and with a universal spasm of revolt a national resurgence very similar to that which in 1508 convulsed the glorified people of Spain they swept from power those who were lending them into shameful tutelage and resolved, at the eleventh hour, to guard their freedom and honour with their lives.” Remarking that a boa-eon. tri. tor which had already covered its prey

with its own saliva and then had it suddenly wrested from his coils would be in an amiable mood compared with

Herr Hitler, Marshal Goering, Herr von Ribbentrop and the rest of the "Nazi gang” when they experienced this bitter disappointment, Mr. Churchill said that rapid redispositions were made of the German forces. Hungary was offered large territorial gains to become an accomplice in an assault on a friendly ■ neighbour with whom she had just signed a solemn pact of friendship and non-aggression.

Suicide Preferred

The Prime Minister, Count; Teleld, preferred to take his own life rather than join such a deed of shame.

A heavy forward movement of the German armies, already gathered in and dominating Austria, was set in motion through Hungary to the northern frontier of Yugoslavia, and there followed a simultaneous invasion of Yugoslavia and Greece.

Speaking of North Africa. Mr. Churchill said that the loss of Benghazi was injurious chiefly on account of the valuable airfields which consequently passed into the enemy hands.

Apart from these, in view of the growing danger in the Balkans, the original advance might have been hailed at Tobruk.

The Italian rout, however, enabled ,nueh ground to be gained cheaply and easily, but as a result of other obligations comparatively light forcqs were employed to hold it.

German air forces and armoured (loops began to arrive in Tripoli before the British had captured Benghazi and submarines, aircraft and the Royal Navy had taken a steady toll of German transports.

It was impossible, however, to prevent the building up of a strong armom-ed force on the African shore and with this the Germans made a rapid attack in greater strength than was expected. The British Imperial troops had fallen back upon stronger positions in more defensive country. "1 cannot attempt to forecast what Ihe course of the lighting in Cyrenaica will be,” said Mr. Churchill. "It is clear that military consideration alone must guide our generals and these problems must not be complicated by what is called prestige. Now the Germans are using armoured strength in Cyrenaica we must expect much hard and severe fighting, not only for the defence of Cyrenaica, but for the defence of Egypt.” Italian East African Collapse The Italian collapse in East Africa was. however, liberating progressively substantial forces to reinforce the Army of the Nile. The later events in Cyrenaica did not detract from the merit of the brilliant campaign, nor diminish the gratitude due to the troops, Mr. Churchill added, reminding the House that a fortnight ago he had warned the country that reverses as well as victories must bo expected. Turning to East Africa, the Prime Minister spoke of the fall of Keren at a cost of about 4000 British Imperial casualties, and referred to the pari played in the campaign by the Indian j.roops. "who at all points and on all occasions sustained the reputation ol the martial races of Hindustan.” After speaking of the fall of Massawa, Mr. Churchill said that the Red Sea had been virtually cleared of enemy warships, which he described as a "matter of considerable and even far-reaching convenience.

The Duke of Aosta's army, he continued. retreated into the mountains. ; and the complete destruction or capture of all the Italian forces in Abyssinia, with a corresponding relief to operations elsewhere, might reasonably be expected. Speaking of the Battle of Mntapan , which. He said, decisively broke the Italian naval power in the Mediter- j ranean, Mr. Churchill contrasted ' the | British position in the Middle East j after the French collapse, when the | Italian troops outnumbered the British ;

by four to one, and the situation to- i day. and recalled that the British Em- , pi re had stood alone and conquered ; alone, except for the aid of a few gallant Free French and Belgian forces. Bid for Grain and Oil Mr. Churchill concluded: "It is, of course, very hazardous to try to forecast in what directions Herr Hitler will employ his military machine in the present year. "He may at any tir/.e attempt an invasion of this island. That is an ordeal from which we shall not shirk. At the present moment he is driving south-east through the Balkans and at any moment may turn upon Turkey, but there are many signs which point to a Nazi attempt to secure the granary of the Ukraine and the oilfields of the Caucasus as a German means of gaining resources with , which to wear down the Englishspeaking world. "All this is speculation, but I will say only one thing more: Once we have gained the Battle of the Atlantic and are certain of a constant flow of American supplies which is being

prepared for us, then, however far Herr Hitler may go, or whatever new millions and scores of millions he may lap in misery, he may be sure that, armed with the sword of retributive justice, we shall be on his track."