ELAS CRIMES

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVII, Issue 23111, 27 January 1945, Page 5

ELAS CRIMES

Hostages Murdered Exhumation Of Corpses By Telegraph—N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright LONDON, January 25. “I was tilled with horror with what I had seen. The evidence is irrefutable. I have never seen a more horrible sight than these corpses of persons executed with their hands tied behind their backs What I have seen compels me tc say it is necessary for us to come here and see the naked truth , —naked as most bodies here.” Sir Walter Citrine (General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress), who with other members of his delegation viewed the exhumation of the corpses of hostages held by ELAS, is quoted by the newspaper “Bradmi” as making the above comment, after an inspection, says the “Dally Telegraph" correspondent at Athens. The correspondent says that the exhumation has been proceeding lor several days. From one long trench alone 300 Dodies have been unearthed. There remained 218, Including 108 men and 38 women. It is estimated that there are about 2000 bodies altogether —all hostages whom the sudden arrival of the British troops at Peristeri in January prevented ELAS forces from carrying off. Post-mortem examination -snows that the victims had been shot in the head when kneeling on bodies already dead.

In nine districts of Athens 1500 corpses were collected up to January 21. Of these 800 were exhumed an 700 collected from the streets and hospitals. All were certified as executions. of these 1254 bodies were males and 255 females. Mutilations Before Death Professor lannis Georgiadais (chief pathologist of the Ministry of Justice) diagnosed a large number of mutilations as though inflicted before death, including floggings, eyes torn out, and mouths slit. Sir Walter Citrine’s delegation talked with General Plastiras (Prime Minister) and Archbishop Damasl?inos (Regent) and, dropping in informally into a cafe, crowded with British servicemen, enlightened themselves about the private feelings of the troops.

A conference between the Greek Government’s delegates and representatives of ELAS begins on Saturday. Further exhumations near Athens are expected to bring the number of corpses of the victims of the ELAS to more than 1000, says Reuter’s correspondent at Athens. A further 100 bodies of men, women and children were discovered on January 24, soon after the Citrine Trade Union Congress delegation watched the exhumation of 285 corpses. The Associated Press correspondent at Athens says the biggest exchange of prisoners between the British and ELAS is to be made, including highranking officers who surrendered at Salonika, and 62 Germans, who also surrendered. They helped ELAS, but did not bear arms. Soldiers Interviewed Cries of “thugs” and “terrorists” answered Sir Walter Citrine when he asked a meeting of British troops in an Athens cinema whether they agreed with the opinion widely held in England that Elasites were a democratic body with the. highest purposes and principles. The Athens correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” says Sir Walter Citrine, at the outset, explained that the first impression of the visiting Trade Union Congress delegates was that the troops expressed the opinion that the British people had been misinformed about the Greek situation. He therefore proposed that each delegate should interview 200 men and get information.

Sir Walter Citrine demanded chapter and verse for each accusation the men levelled against Elasites. “Back home I shall be told that this was a carefully organised meeting,” he said. Soldiers one after another testified ■that Elasites abused the white flag and shot stretcher bearers.

When one soldier said: “They are the dirtiest and lowest crowd that ever was,” sir Walter citrine asked whether that was the general opinion, whereupon back came: “It’s putting it too mildly.”