GERMAN PARACHUTE TROOPS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 17 May 1941, Page 5

GERMAN PARACHUTE TROOPS

MASS LANDING IN GREECE DESPERATE BID TO CUT OFF NEW ZEALANDERS FAILURE OF ATTEMPT (From the Official War Correspondent with the N.Z.E.F. in the Middle East). Cairo, May 15. Every day has brought more evidence to show how flat fell the last desperate enemy bid to decimate the New Zealand force as it formed the rearguard of the British evacuation from Greece. This was a mass landing of parachute troops on the Corinth isthmus in an obvious endeavour to cut the retreat in the rear while the main German forces drove toward Athens. It is now clear that the parachutists landed at a time when they had no opportunity to disrupt any large retiring column. The bulk of the New Zealanders were already on the water or approaching the embarkation beaches in southern Greece. The only other large force was still north of Athens, harassing and delaying the German advance till the moment came to withdraw through the city to the eastern beaches. A small mixed force, including New Zealand cavalry, infantry and engineer detachments which had been posted to protect the isthmus roads, boro the brunt of the parachute troops’ attack qnd inflicted considerable casualOne captured cavalry officer told me i how the parachutists were marching him in a small party of prisoners along a road through a cutting when a South Island infantry section opened fire over their heads. The prisoners took cover while their rescuers cleaned up the German guards. Another New Zealander in a British party made a successsful dash for liberty after their vehicle was held up in a village, and i there were many similar escapes. LANDING OF PARACHUTISTS New Zealanders who witnessed the parachute landing at close range said the operation was as smoothly managed as an event at a peacetime military demonstration. It began at 6.45 a.m. with an intense air attack over a circle about 500 acres in extent For more thar an hour low-flying planes, never less than 50 in number, assailed every likely spot of cover with bombs .bullets and even hand grenades. Then nine great slow machines appeared over the circle, dropping by parachute containei*s apparently holding supplies. “More big lumbering planes in formations of nine next came over, shedding parachutists like feathers,” said an observer. “Each held about 35 men, who dropped from a few hundred feet. Some of the planes were towing gliders which held the same number of troops. Estimated at over a thousand, the whole force was on the ground in less than an hour. The troops rallied immediately round their leaders, who were distinguished by reddish-brown parachutes.