GENERAL OFFENSIVE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 59, 12 March 1935, Page 5

GENERAL OFFENSIVE

ARMIES IN GREECE A GOVERNMENT VICTORY WAR MINISTER’S CLAIM [By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright* Received March 11, 9.5 p.m. ATHENS, March 11, A general offensive by the Government forces began early this morning. General Kondylis reports that the rebels are throwing down their arms and fleeing in disorder. Snow and thick mist reduced visibility in the air to 100 yards. Venizelist deserters are telling mournful tales of privations due to lack of food. The plain where the operations are taking place is deep in mud, so the Government forces must move slowly.

Athens received the news of a Government victory in Macedonia with relief. The capital thus far is entirely calm. The response of volunteer soldiers to the Government’s call is almost embarrassing. They have been sent forward to reinforce the Salonika front, and are enduring the severe weather with remarkable 'cheerfulness. Many are still in civilian clothes without overcoats, and even bareheaded. The Government has issued reassuring statements that no innocent persons will be punished merely because of their political opinions, but there have been many arrests.

The Government is now ready to take the offensive against the fugitive ships. The old battleship Kilkis has been recommissioned. It has four twelve-inch guns against the Averoff’s nine-inch weapons, is seaworthy, and has an efficient crew. The Government also has seven destroyers, six torpedo boats, and two submarines. I The Daily Telegraph’s Belgrade and Yugoslav correspondents estimate that the opposing armies jin the Struma area are about 40,000 apiece. Near Corinth | royalist mobs attacked and tried Ito massacre a tramload of 200 Venizelist prisoners. DECISIVE OFFENSIVE M. KONDYLIS' REPORT. ATHENS, March 10. M. Kondylis* ‘'decisive offensive,' a. vast semi-circular troop movement in Macedonia, began at 6 a.m. with the artillery ami aircraft combining. The capture of Serras is expected before nightfall. Many rebels are reported to be throwing down their rifles and fleeing. Government troops have crossed the River Struma. The Government fleet bombarded the rebel cruiser Helle, at Caval la, but ceased after an hour, fearing that they would damage the town. Three aeroplanes, after dropping h proclamation at Crete appealing to Cretans not to recognise the rebels, bombed the barracks at Reth, Candia. They claim that they also hit an oil ship entering Candia Harbour. M. Ankara (Governor of Mytilene), ! accompanied by two deputies, arrived after a perilous journey in an open boat which was fired on by the Venzelists. GOVERNMENT ADVANCES LONDON, March 10. The Tinies’ Athens correspondent says that a .force under M. Kongylis crossed the Orliako bridge and occupied Provata under the fire of a rebel mountain gun. battery, which was shelled by bombing ’planes and heavy artillery. The rebels are reported to be re-' treating in disorder. Government cavalry and infantry crossed the Kourniariana Bridge, the left wing attempting to encircle Demirhissar and the right wing Tzajisi. Reconnaisance machines bombed two trains full of retreating rebels, GOVERNMENT SUCCESS REBELS TAKE TO MOUNTAINS ATHENS, March 10. The Government advance across the Struma met with little resistance, the rebels withdrawing with a few casualties to await the attack on the mountain strongholds. M. Kondylis’ almost bloodless victory involved a costly and futile expenditure of ammunition. Government ’planes dropped twelve 2601 b. bombs on Rethymo barracks on March 10. The pilots assert that the barracks were destroyed and many people killed. M. Venizelos threatens reprisals in Crete if the Venizelists in Athens are ill-treated. A Milan message states that M. Plastiras has returned to Cannes. The Times’ Athens correspondent says that five Venizelist deputies and ex-Ministers were liberated after repudiating the revolution. THE INNER HISTORY VENIZELOS AND PLASTIRAS. LONDON, March 10. Sir Percival Phillips, telegraphing to the Daily Telegraph from Athens, says: • ‘ ‘ The inner history of the revolt shows that it was prepared by M. Venizelos and General Plastiras, who agreed to ac-t jointly for the overthrow of the Government. General Plastiras wanted an earlier coup and went to the Bulgarian frontier, but M. Venizelos sent a liaison officer to say that the time was not ripe. General Plastiras was furious and decided independently to organise the rising on March 25, “ the anniversary of Greek independence. He formed a plan that while members of

the Cabinet and the principal officers were in church he would surround the building and Kidnap the chief Ministers as they left, at the same time persuading the troops participating in the annual parade to join the rising. Meanwhile, there was to be a simultaneous rising in Macedonia. Epirus, and Thrace. The warships were to be seized and General Plastiras was to go to the northern frontier, ready to take over operations at Salonica. All this came to the ears of M. Venizelos, who recognised that he would fill a secondary role under a Plastiras dictatorship.

“M. Venizelos therefore told the officers in the conspiracy to begin the revolution earlier, hence the events of March J. A captain stationed at Salonica revealed the plot at noon on March 1 to the Governor-General, who was able to prevent Salonica and large towns in Macedonia falling into the rebels’ hands. He held manoeuvres in the afternoon and summoned all officers to discuss them at- headquarters, and then had the building surrounded by local troops. The Governor-General telegraphed the discovery to M. Tsaidaris.

“M. Tsaldaris granted me an interview to-day. In a statement he said: ‘We are dealing with one of the worst political crimes in our history, committed by M. Venizelos. He has not hesitated to inflict enormous damage on the country for his own political ends. The country will never forgive mm. f ortunately the country, apart from a few misguided officers and men, has refused to join M. Venizelos’ mad enterprise. Reports from Macedonia are good and I hope order will soon be restored. The rest of the country throughout has remained absolutely calm and quiet.’ ” ITALIAN WARSHIPS DEPARTURE FOR AEGEAN ROME, March 10. The cruiser Trento and the destroyers Cadamosta and Pigafetta have departed for Aegean. Air mails to Greece and Turkey are suspended. ARMIES ENTRENCHED BIG BATTLE EXPECTED ATHENS, March 10. The Government and rebel armies entrenched on either side of the swollen Struma River are using the trenches first made by the Bulgarians in the Balkan War of 1912. Four hours of artillery firing took place to-night and a battle is expected at dawn in Greek territory near Rulata, which is entirely held by the rebels whom the frontier guards, who were loyal to the Government till Wednesday, have now joined. LOST ITS HEAD SALONIKA GOVERNMENT Beceived Mafch 11, 5.20 p.m. LONDON, March 11. Mr Selkirk Panton, Daily Express correspondent from the Yugo-slavian border, says that after an 80-miles dash at night from Salonika in a ramshackle motor-car, afoot, and on mule, he succeeded in escaping from Greece. “The car’s brakes failed to act and the driver and I sprang free as the car crashed into a deep ravine,” he said, | “but the mule ride through the mountains finally brought us to the frontier, with other foreigners who had virI tually been prisoners in Greece unable to telegraph or telephone to the outside world. This is an open confession of lhe seriousness of the situation. It is believed that the Salonika Government has completely lost its head. The British Minister at Athens has protested energetically about the decree which delays and prevents the departure of British subjects. Having lost the fleet, the Government now fear to send aeroplanes lest they desert to the rebels. General Metaxas, temporary Minister of War, is a keen monarchist, and it is believed that he is using the revolution as an opportunity to restore the monarchy. The names of the Duke snd Duchess of Kent are mentioned ns the possible King and Queen.” STRONG RESISTANCE LOYAL TROOPS CHECKED Received March 1.1, 9.5 p.m. ATHENS, March 11. The Minister of War, General Kondylis, at midnight reported that his forces had been unable to take Serres on Sunday. Just before nightfall he had met with strong resistance seven miles from Serres. General Kondylis I added: We took 200 prisoners and five guns, and our losses were two dead and four wounded. We shall take Serres on Monday morning and then push on to Drama Kavalla.

CRUISER SURRENDERS LOYALISTS OCCUPY SERBS. Received March 12, 1.15 a.m. ATHENS, March 11. An official report states that the rebel cruiser Helli was surrendered by the crew after the officers had abandoned her during the night. Government troops have occupied Seres and the rebels are fleeing. Alexandria reports that Rear-Admiral Colialexis, the rebel commander of the cruiser Averoff, disguised as an ordinary seaman, arrived aboard the small cargo steamer Kerkyra from Crete.