THE BALKAN WAR

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11303, 31 August 1922, Page 5

THE BALKAN WAR

| HOSTILITIES RENEWED TURKS INFLICT CRUSHING BLOW ON -GREEKS. LATTER’S FORCES CUT IN TWO. By Telefrra.pl]—Press Assn.—Copyright. Australian and N.A Cable Association. (Received August 30, 5.5 p.m.) ATHENS, August 29. The Greeks evacuated Kara Hissar before superior forces. ~ All Greeks in the 1903 class in the occupier! territories have been called to the colours. (Received August 30, 5.5 p.m.) ATHENS. August 29. It is officially announced that the important Anatolian railway junction at Afiun-Kara-Hissar has been evacuated by the Greeks, evidently in consequence of a vigorous offensive begun by the Turks. KEMAL’S GREAT COUP GREEKS TAKEN BY SURPRISE. (Received August 30, 5.5 p.m.) CONSTANTINOPLE, August 29. Mustapha Kemal’s capture of the Kara Hissar railhead is a crushing blow to Greece, whose forces are thus cut in two. Mustapha Kemal secretly massed picked infantry behind the lines last week, when an artillery barrage began at 3 o’clock in the morning. The Greeks were taken completely by surprise. Their batteries’ reply was unable to check the fierceness of the Turkish firing, and by noon a huge breach was effected in the Greek lino, the Greeks falling back rapidly. 'The Turks swept onward, and drove the retreating Greeks into open country. They cut the railway and other communications between the northern ana southern Greek armies.

GREEK COMMUNIQUE NEW LINE OCCUPIED. (Received August 30, 5.5 p.m.) ATHENS, August 29. A communique states: Owing to a violent enemy offensive, we ordered the evacuation of Kara Hissar, and occupied a line west thereof. We repulsed an enemy cavalry charge at Elvanlar. BRITAIN CRITICISED ‘•A VACILLATING POLICY.*’ (Received August 30, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, August 29. The “Daily Express” states that the renewal of the Graeco-Turkish war was primarily due to the vacillating British policy and inability to reach an agreement with France. A Franco-British settlement could impose terms on both sides at any time. After the Greeks' disastrous failure to capture Angora, France made a separate agreement with Kemal. “We half-heartedly supported Greece, though we do not owe her gratitude on account of her war behaviour. She is fighting a war of conquest with Turkey.”