U S. Aid To Build Up Greek Army

Northern Advocate, 6 January 1948, Page 5

U S. Aid To Build Up Greek Army

ATHENS, Moil. (10.30 a.m.) —The United States and Greek Governments have agreed to the formation of 100 battalions of the National Guard and a further increase of 12,000 men in the Regular Greek Army, said Mr Dwight Griswold, head of the American Aid Mission. The United States had agreed to provide an additional £125,000 worth of aid, to be used for strengthening the Greek Army, stated Mr Griswold.

The Associated Press correspondent says this additional strength will enable the Greek Regular Army to start regular campaigns against the rebels. The agreement between the Greek Government and the American Aid Mission provides for closer relationship between Americans and the Greek Army, which has been complaining that * its equipment is unsuitable for mountain warfare against the guerillas. Reuters Athens correspondent adds that the American mission is studying the Greek Army's special requirements for mountain warfare, including special artillery.

SITUATION IN KONITZA Greek Government military sources said rebels were resisting tenaciously round the Konitza perimeter, but .failed to recapture their lost mountain strongholds. The Greek Air Force claimed io have inflicted heavy losses on the rebels, who are evacuating the heights round Borazani Bridge, near the Albanian frontier. Government forces claim that they have cleared the area west of Konitza. Government forces launched drives to expand the Konitza perimeter and clear the rebels from the area north and west of the town, says the Associated Press correspondent. : The forces captured two heights from the guerillas, thus stopping the artillery bombardment of Konitza, 1 upon which it is estimated 3000 shells have fallen since the* guerillas attacked on December 25.