THICK WITH DEAD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24620, 30 May 1941, Page 5

THICK WITH DEAD

AREA AROUND MALEMI NAZIS PAYING HEAVY PRICE UNBELIEVABLE LOSSES (Rec. 11.43 p.m.l LONDON. May 2!), The Australian official war correspondent in Cairo stated that details of the German-attack on Canea and Ma leini airport were given by Ihroe New Zealanders who returned to Cairo with a party of wounded. The men ere members of a field ambulance unit. "We were having breakfast on the morning of May 21. when we were alarmed by a terrific drone of planes.'' said one. “We were at a hospital near Malemi aerodrome. We looked out to sea and saw the sky black with planes. The anti-aircraft batteries opened a heavy fire, but the planes seemed too low and rose only when almost overhead. Parachute troops started to tumble out. landing everywhere around the hospital. We were unarmed and, being a non-combatant unit, had no option but to surrender. German troops were everywhere, but a mile or so away those coming down near our troops were being shot, to pieces. By mid-day they had us rounded up and marched us towards Galatos, where the# sat us down on a hillside with Germans armed with tommy guns guarding us all day. Wc stopped there, watching literally hundreds of planes dropping men or crash landing on the beaches. They seemed to gain control of the aerodrome near mid-day. and started landing big troopcarriers, many of which were immediately set on lire by Australian arti! lery. Killed Like Flies “ There was fierce fighting going on everywhere, and parachutists were being killed like flies. They landed about 50 by mistake right among some Maoris and they lasted about 10 seconds. All that day they were also dropping supplies, much of which fell among our troops. About 1600 New Zealanders drove the enemy back from Galatos. Our guards dropped behind us prisoners, using us as cover. This did not help them, as thev were soon shot and we were free again. We at tended to the wounded at once. Prayed for the Night “It has been going on ever since. They secured a footing on the-aero-drome. and plane after plane came in. unloaded troops and supplies, and flew off again. They bombed hell out of us and machine-gunned our lines. We prayed for the night. • A hundred fires were burning on the aerodrome as wc hit their planes, and others crashed They have a flare system as well as signal flags, indicating what they want and their positions so that they will not be bombed. The whole area was thick with dead, Huns, but still they kept coming. Canea a Heap of Ruins

“Last Friday they bombed Canca town all day and blew it off. the map. Most of the civilians had made for the hills. The streets were running with olive oil from store rooms. The Germans came in waves of 50 or 60 planes and flew a few feet above the trees They blew up the wireless station. Wr spent a day in the trenches, dressing the wounded while scrapping went orround the aerodrome. The German losses are Unbelievable, but still the*' come. Hospitals Wiped Out The Greek Legation in Cairo has received the following story of a recent mass raid against Uanea: “Nazi bombers came over in formations of 100 each. The pilots were simply instructed to knock Canea flat, and they dropped 30,000 bombs. Canea's two hospitals were wiped out, while under piles of rubble which were formerly houses. chu r ches. and street® lev hundreds of dead and dying inhabitants.” The Cairo correspondent of the Associated Press says that, according to a wounded British staff officer from Crete many of the German prisoners captured appeared to be drugged. All of the prisoners, some of whom are only 16 years of age. carried white tablets, which are now being analysed. The Cairo correspondent of the British United Press says that Max Schmeling, the German boxer, was killed in Crete while attempting to escape after capture by British soldiers.

SCHMELING’S DEATH ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE ALEXANDRIA. (Rec. 1.30 a.m.) May 29. Confirmation has been received that Max Schmeling, the boxer, was killed in Crete.-Three New Zealanders swore to its truth. Schmeling was slightly wounded the first day he landed and was taken to an Australian dressing station, where his papers disclosed his name. He spoke with an American accent, and he admitted he was the boxer. An Australian colonel and other officers gathered round and satis - fied themselves- that he was telling the truth. He was truculent and threatening, and was sent back toward a prison camp with a lot of others. On the way to Galetos a big crowd of parachutists dropped nearby and. while the New Zealanders were mopping them up. Schmeling grabbed a wounded man’s rifle and tried to make a break. He then got what was coming to him.