Defenders Make Magnificent Stand

Northern Advocate, 23 May 1941, Page 5

Defenders Make Magnificent Stand

[British Official Wirelessl(Rec. Noon) RUGBY, May 24. A Cairo communique states that yesterday further waves of German parachutists and airborne troops continued to land at various points in Crete throughout the day. British and New Zealand troops, assisted by Greeks and Cretans, all rendered a magnificent account of themselves.

Fighting with splendid courage and dash, our Empire forces, with their gallant allies, delivered three successful counter-attacks.

Enemy losses yesterday were even heavier than before, and by nightfall the situation was satisfactory in every area except Maleme, where the enemy secured a temporary footing. Operations to deal with this situation are now in progress.

Air Landings Continue

Enemy landings by air are continuing, but as a result of determined action by the Royal Navy, attempts by the Germans to support their airborne troops by landings from the sea have so far been unsuccessful, as the convoys have been dispersed or sunk. The spirit of the defenders of Crete is higher than ever. All Day Struggle.

No official communique has yet been issued about yesterday’s fighting in Crete, but messages from Cairo correspondents say it continued in full blast all day long. The Cairo correspondent of the “Daily Mail” says that from dawn to dusk, for the second day in succession, wave after wave of German troopcarriers and gliders, protected by divebombers, spilled out their human cargoes along the whole northern coast of Crete, and inland, among the olive groves, where there was bitter hand-to-hand fighting. Nowhere have the invaders captured the islands’ airfields or harbours. The fighting is guerilla warfare, man against man. Germans, New Zealanders, Britons and Greeks are battling singly or in small companies. New Type of Parachute.

The situation last night ' was described in some mesages as obscure, partly because the Germans are _ reported to be landing men in British uniforms in the Greek areas, and in Greek uniforms in the British areas. Some German parachutists, using a new type of parachute, dropped from only 200 ft., this meaning that it was only a matter of seconds before they landed, making it

difficult to shoot them down. Nevertheless, the British fire was most effective between the time they landed and the time they ran to where guns and ammunition had been landed from other parachutes. Each parachute is coloured red. white or black, according to the wearer’s function. Hard Pressed It is perhaps significant that the German High Command has not yet issued any communique. Major-General Freyberg’s cablegram to Mr. Fraser said: “We are being hard pressed. Much depends on the next few hours.” No word about Crete has yet appeared in the German, Italian or French press. German Prisoners Surprised It is learned that a Greek fishing boat picked up Germans shot down near Crete, gn May 16. The Germans were most surprised when taken prisoner, saying that they were under the impression that all Greeks were their friends. R.A.F. Outnumbered The Cairo correspondent of the British United Press says Britons who have arrived from Crete declare that the German planes raiding Crete before the parachute attacks nutnumbered the Royal Air Fore defenders by 20 to 1. The Germans adopted the usual tactics of raiding the aerodromes, but the British pilots fought heroically. German Silence The German communique does not mention Crete, but repeats the claim that the Luftwaffe has attacked enemy naval units in the Eastern Mediterranean. A Berlin spokesman said the operations in Crete were not regarded as a dress rehearsal for possible invasion of Britain. The spokesman challenged British reports of big German losses, but made no specific refutation.