CENTRE OF CITY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21581, 7 December 1944, Page 5

CENTRE OF CITY

CLEARED BY TROOPS ARREST OF COMMUNISTS BRITISH KEEPING ORDER (11 a.m.) LONDON, Dec 6. British paratroopers broke into tne Communist headquarters in the mam city square of Athens, after blowing down the main doors with grenades, says Reuter’s Athens correspondent. About 40 prisoners were taken, the majority of whom were still armed when led out. They included two young women. British tanks and armoured cars and lorryloaos of iniantry, togetnei with regular Greek troops, are spreading out from the centre of the city into the three main areas where the fighting is fiercest. These are in the south-eastern districts of Athens, around the Stadium, which is one oi the E.L.A.S. strongholds, the southeastern part oi the city in the direction of the Piraeus, where British troops are advancing street by street and searching the houses, and the area of the Likavittos Gardens, one mile north of the heart of the city. E.L.A.S. Concentration Near City Some thousands of E.L.A.S., troops are reported to be concentrated a few miles north-west of Athens. Brisk nfie-fire and machine-gun fire was heard continuously to-day all over Atnens except in the centre of the city, which is firmly in British hands. Flares were dropped last night to show up the movement of tne E.L.A.S. forces, and British paratroops ejected E.b.a.S. men irom tne Polytechnic School, with the aid of searchlights mounted on tanks. The Exchange and Telegraph correspondent says: “After a violent struggle the Yapnaro building m Constitution Square, the last centre of resistance of the E.L.A.S. in this part of the town, was captured. The police arrested two E.L.A.S. officers, Bieutenant-colonei Tamvakis, an infantry commander, and Major Kapeianios, an artilleryman. An official Green communique states tnat aoout auu members of tne E.L.A.S. were taken prisoner when the Athens headquarters were captured. Tne Associated Press’ correspondent reports tnat the E.A.iVi. has called a general strike at Patras, and nas disarmed 10u members oi tne newiy-recruited National Militia, lhe British commander oi an Indian xoimation took action and recovered the arms.