Germans Fear Attack On Greece

Northern Advocate, 29 June 1943, Page 3

Germans Fear Attack On Greece

(Received 10. a.m.) (Special) LONDON, June 28. The Germans are reported to be preparing to meet the possibility of attack against Greece. Fortifications all along the Aegean coast are now completed. Ack-ack batteries and longrange guns form the backbone of defence. Germans and Bulgarians are building second line defences 15 miles inside the coast line, while a third chain of concrete fortifications is being erected in' Bulgarian-occupied Greece along the River Mlarsita. The “Daily Telegraph’s” Istanbul correspondent reports that tank barricades have been built along the strategic highways ,of Salonika, Kavaila and Dedeakatch and bridges have been mined. Trees have been felled on both sides of the highways near Salonika, Mount Athos Peninsula, and 100 villages have been evacuated in these areas, rendering 10,000 people homeless. The correspondent adds that tension bordering on panic caused by the expected Allied invasion of the Balkans, prevails all over Bulgaria where there has been a run on banks. Business is practically at a standstill. On the other hand all the preparations of jittery Axis propagandists and the inspiring Allied broadcasts are causing great excitement among the Greek populations. “The Observer” believes that Axis anxiety about Greece is well founded. She is the weak point of the Mediterranean front because invasion would receive full collaboration from Greeks.. There are several thousand Greek soldiers fully trained in the Middle East, also 33 Greek warships, including one cruiser. Crete Landing Expected Well-informed circles at Ankara envisage an Allied landing on Crete. Four German landing barges passed from the Bosphorus to the Aegean, states a message from Istanbul. Their passage was permitted because apparently they were unarmed barges. They are believed to be destined either for reinforcement or evacuation of the Greek island. Spain Displeases Germans The Germans are accusing the Spanish Government of helping the Allies, says the Berne correspondent of the British United Press, quoting the “Frankfurter Zeitung”: “The Spanish Government remains inactive while Anglo-American propaganda is flooding the country and successfully influencing many Spaniax-ds’ sentiments.” “The British and Americans seem about to complete their preparations in the Mediterranean. North Africa is neai - est for attack against South Europe,” says the Cairo correspondent of the British United Press (Mr Richard McMillan). “It is clear that the Germans are rushing increasing aid, including troops and anti-air-craft guns to the Italian island. Work on fortifications is proceeding night and day.” Hitler’s Precautions Hitler has ordered a large part of the U-boat fleet to return to Italian and German bases in readiness for attacks on Allied invasion fleets, says an Ankara message. Italian submarines have also been ordered to return to port. Gei-man soui'ces in Stockholm state that United States battleships have joined the British battle fleet in the Mediterranean. Tension in Bulgaria Reliable reports from Sofia indicate there is tension bordering on panic in Bulgaria, says the “Daily Telegraph’s” Istanbul correspondent. The Bulgarian Government believes at the first sign of an Allied landing there will be a general uprising in Greece and Yugoslavia. Air raids on Salonika and Athens have heightened Axis fears that an Allied invasion of the Balkans is near. Germans are preparing antiinvasion deefnees in Macedonia and Western Thrace. An Axis military mission is in Greece inspecting defence works, tank barricades and mined bridges along the strategic highways between Salonika, Kavalla and Dede Agach (Northern Greece.) More than 100 villages in northeastern Greece have been evacuated and 10,000 villagers left homeless. Sensational Results Expected ' ReuteFs Stockholm- correspondent quotes an Essen newspaper as saying that the Italians were braced for an Allied second front which, it is believed, is imminent. Evacuation of towns in South Italy has led to a decreased number of civilian casualties. Naples and other target cities now have the most extensive shelters. Air strategists in Washington believe that the new system of concentrated air attacks has been so successful that it might be said that invasion of Europe has already begun. Landing operations in Italy may be only weeks away. Air bombardment is being carried out on such a carefully-planned basis that hardly a bomb is wasted. All objectives are being studied minutely with the aid of aerial photographs and in the light of latest information —much of it from underground sources. Some military observers believe that the time is near when relentless air bombardment of Axis targets will produce unexpected, sensational results ahead of schedule.