GREECE HAS NOW STATUS OF FULL BELLIGERENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16595, 19 July 1917, Page 5

GREECE HAS NOW STATUS OF FULL BELLIGERENT.

MOBILISING HER RESOURCES TO JOIN THE ALLIES.

ARMY STRENGTH ESTIMATED AT 250,000.

Australia* and N.Z. Cable Association. WASHINGTON, July 17. The Department of State has been informed that Greece is now a full belligerent, and will lose no time in mobilising her resources to join the allies. She has an army of 250,000.

It was recently reported that M. Venizelos hoped to be able to put ten Greek divisions into the field within three months. The King of Greece, in a message to the French President a few davs ago referred appreciatively to the heroic struggles of France for the triumph of right, justice, and liberty, in which, he said, "Greece will happily be able henceforth to participate."

Military service in Greece is compulsory and universal, with very few exemptions. It commences in the 20th year and lasts for the long period of 31 years. The term of service in the active army is three years for the cavalry and artillery and two years for the infantry, followed by 21 years in the first reserve and eight years in the second. The annual contingent of recruits fixed by Parliament, is about 25,000. The peace establishment for 1915 was about 60,000 officers and men.

The army is divided into five army corps. The territorial army was primarily intended for home defence, but certain classes are liable to be drafted to the field army in tim* rt war. The territorial army had no definite organisation prior to the European war, and the men received no training. The Greek infantry are armed with the Mannlicher Schonauer rifle, model 1903. The field artillery is armed with Schneider-Canet Q.F. guns. The Greek army was mobilised late in 1915 in response to the Bulgarian mobilisation, and it appeared as if Greece, under the guiding hand of M Venizelos were about to join the allies. Then came the unconstitutional interference of the King, and since then the army has suffered severely in organisation. The allies insisted on disarmament, and most of the Greek troops were sent to the south of Greece. The defects of organisation and equipment are now being remedied by M. Venizelos, with the assistance of the allies.