SITUATION IN GREECE

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVII, Issue 23113, 30 January 1945, Page 5

SITUATION IN GREECE

Visit Of T.U.C. Delegates

(Rec. 7.30 pun.) LONDON, Jan. 28. British Trade Union Congress delegates returned to Athens on Sunday from Levadia and EAM leaders, whom they met at Levadia, arrived at Athens at the same time, says Reuter's correspondent at Athens. On the initiative of Sir Walter Citrine (General Secretary of the Trade Union Congress) negotiations were conducted by telephone with the Greek Government for permission for Eamites to visit Athens, says the correspondent. Sir Walter wishes to bring about a face-to-face meeting between the Greek leaders which he hopes will result in reconciliation. Speaking at a dinner at Levadia. which EAM gave the British delegates, Sir Walter said: “See the British soldiers around you. They are workers; they are ready to shake hands with you. You must act the same way.” The Athens correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” says that scores of British prisoners of war have been released by ELAS. The correspondent talked with them, and all without exception testified to the cruel robberies and barbarous hardships which ELAS forces inflicted on them. Typical of the comments were:

“It was a nightmare you can never forget”; “they have no idea what they are doing or why.” The most common complaint was that the Elasites stole boots, greatcoats and uniforms and replaced them with makeshift footwear and lousy rags. Some prisoners w'ent without food .for two days. Reuter's correspondent at Athens said: “The worst suffering was sore feet as a result of marches up to 300 miles. The prisoners resented being marched through towns and villages for propaganda purposes. They confirmed that the Elasites was largely composed of young boys and girls. The Elasites were particularly hostile to R.A.F. personnel because of strafing and members of the ground staff were obliged to remove the R.A.F. Insignias from their uniforms in order to avoio victimisation.”

The correspondent of the British United Press at Athens said that hundreds of heartbroken. Greeks trudged to the outskirts of the city on Sunday to try and find dead relatives among hundreds of decaying bodies W’hich are hourly being exhumed from wells, caves and trenches. The Greek Government has announced that of the 1245 dead who were battle casualties so far found, about 40 per cent, have been identified.