Gallant But Outnumbered Greek Farces

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 99, 28 April 1941, Page 5

Gallant But Outnumbered Greek Farces

STORY OF EVENTS BEFORE CAPITULATION (British Official Wireless.) Received Sunday, 0.20 p.m. RUGBY, April 25. A Greek general who was with the anny during the last hours before its capitulation has given facts and categorically denied charges of cowardice levelled at the gallant outnumbered Greek forces. ‘* I am in a position to assure the Greek people that the officers and men carried out their duties with utter disregard for self and wrote fresh pages in the glorious miltary history of our couutry. ‘ ‘ The unhappy issue of events was in no way at alt uue to cowardice or any other cause save that the Greek army after fighting hard and victoriously for six months on the Albanian front suddenly found itself when the Yugoslav front collapsed forced to meet another army with more modern equipment, more highly mechanised and with a stronger air force, in these cireumstances it had to withdraw some 15U kilometres continuously pounded by the onemy air force from which it had no protection. “This' operation, made for strategic reasons, was carried out without a single soldier falling into the hands of the enemy and it will excite the admiration of the-whole world when the precise conditions in which it was performed. can be disclosed. “Finally iinding its communications severed and supplies cut off owiug to ceaseless bombing and machine-gunning, seeing Greek towns destroyed one after another, and under intense pressure from north and east, it was forced to lay down its arms wiien a continuation of the struggle was utterly impossible. ’ ’.