MAJORITY OF FORCES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 128, 1 May 1941, Page 7

MAJORITY OF FORCES

PREMIER’S ANNOUNCEMENT AT LEAST 45,000 SAFE (United Press Association.—Copyright.—Rec. 11.5 a.m.) (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, April 30. The Prime Minister (Mr Churchill) made a statement in the House of Commons, to-day, on the evacuation of the Imperial Forces from* Greece. He revealed that 45,000 out of the 60,000 British Empire troops landed in Greece had been evacuated and safely transported to their bases. The total casualties were 3000 killed and wounded. The Premier added that heavy equipment had not been removed. A Cairo communique says the withdrawal of our troops from Greece is contipuing- satisfactorily. It can be stated that the personal equipment of the troops aud the lig'ht guns were got away. As to the military lessous of the campaign, the daring of the Anzacs and British troops showed there was an answer to the attack by the enemy armoured divisions, and the German dive-bombers had proved much less formidable than was generally expected. The aim of the German airmen was not < very accurate, and it is noted with special satisfaction that the dive-bombing failed to disturb the discipline and morale of the British troops. It is officially announced that the Expeditionary Force in Greece included one New Zealand and one Australian division. The evacuees are believed to have successfully reached their bases without mishap. The casualties of 3000 killed and wounded in the actual fighting were principally at Mount Olympus, Grevena, and Thermopylae.