GERMANS REINFORCED BY TROOP AEROPLANES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 123, 28 May 1941, Page 5

GERMANS REINFORCED BY TROOP AEROPLANES

BA i fLE RAGING FOR PORT OF CANEA London, May 27. Fierce fighting is raging between Malcmi and Canea, on the island of Crete. The Germans have been reinforced by air and have formed a battle front in a drive eastwards. It was reported earlier that t hey had penetrated the British position in the CaneaMalemi area, and New Zealand troops had immediately counter-attacked. The position is regarded as serious at that point, but the gravity of it will depend on what steps the Germans have taken since, and whether our counter-attack has been effective. The German objective is Canea and bases in Suda Bar.

It is pointed out that, after all, the Germans have not yet succeeded in landing tanks from the air, and that the only forces to read) Crete by sea have come in commandeered fishing boats. (Reed. 9.35 p.m.). London, May 27. The Times’ Cairo correspondent says that the front line in Crete has developed round Canea. Reports from the island are (ery scanty, but reveal that the Battle of Crete has passed out of the initial parachuting stage, and that the Germans are now formed up in battle formation. The objective is Canea. itself, and Suda Bay, where Imperial forces are entrenched in force in uneven country, sown with patches of grain, fruit and vegetable gardens, reaching up to rocky foothills.

The first phase of the German ' attack was launched on Saturday, i when enemy bombers started to I blow Canea out of existence. Less I serious, but similarly ruthless at-’ tacks fell on Candia and Hetimo. I but here most of the populationl had already gone to the hills, There is very severe fighting in the I Malemi area, where the Germans j have landed more men in the last 24 hours. According to military circles in | Cairo it is most difficult to see how' the situation is developing and also estimate how the German landings compared with the previous two days, but undoubtedly the invaders suffered very severe losses in aircraft. The tide of battle still sways to and fro between Canea and Malemi, also around the Malemi aerodrome. The Daily Mail’s Cairo correspondent says the Germans hold a 10-mile front between Malemi and Canea. Reinforcements poured in all day by troop-carriers and parachutes. The fighting is reaching new heights of fury. Developments indicate that the Germans are cutting losses in other parts of the island in order to concentrate on Malemi. A “riflemen's war,” is the description of the fighting by wounded men arriving in Cairo from the island, where the battle is utterly different from the struggle against German mechanised forces in Greece. The element of surprise has gone. It is much closer to the sort of fighting for which we New Zealanders are trained. The Greek King to-day decorated some of these men. R.A.F. bombers, roaring past still smoking houses en route to attack Malemi, saw the havoc the Luftwaffe inflicted on the fishing townships in ; Crete. No fighting units, except a■ few town guards, were caught by the ‘ German attack, in which several hun- 1 dred tons of bombs were flung on shops, houses and farms. Even beI fore this mass raid the civilian casualties in Crete were higher than the military. Parachutists during the first days resorted to their practice in Greece of herding civilians and driv- I ing them ahead as cover but later dropped the method after getting a 1 very clear warning from the Greek I commander in Crete.

The German news agency says fresh German units landed to-day at various points and are now attacking British points of resistance. Shock parachutists at points of strategic importance cleared the way so that German troops in the western section of the island can advance to fresh zones. The Times Cairo correspondent says the Germans are now operating from all seven air bases in the Peloponnesus, and the vicinity of Athens; also from on eighth base at Melos. It adds that a significant report on the Luftwaffe conies from Libya, where few enemy planes are taking (he air, although several hundred planes arc massed. Scarcity of petrol is a possible ex-, planation. A similar scarcity may become a problem for German planes operating from Greece at the end of the long, bad routes from Rumania.