1940-12-06 — Page 41

THE CHINA MAIL, DECEMBER 6, 1940.

Military Strategy

SEE AND TRY THE

Page

STUDEBAKER

In Greek War; Two CHAMPION

Possibilities British

(By Reuter's Military Commentator) THE GREEK CAMPAIGN has already given a very hard blow to the Axis and Musso-

Trawlers

lini in particular. The results, however, have Lost

not yet been decided. ⠀⠀⠀

These results may be infinitely far-reaching, and decisive results can only be attained if the cam- paign is carried on with the utmost vigour.

Everything depends on that word vigour - that is to say, the strategy of campaign must largely be decided by the character of the commander-in-chief.

Main decision before him seems to be whether or not to pursue a cautious policy of not pressing forward to the sea and of giving

up

the idea of destroying the Italian army in Albania.

Object of such a policy would:] be to establish a good line of communication behind him and avoid counter-attack from the Italians.

Such a policy may be theoreti- cally safer than a dash advance, but is it in practice?

The Italians would be given time to recover and would have time to bring fresh reinforcements from Italy.

Issue For Greeks?

Would the position of the Greek Army then be so safe?

In addition to the recovered morale of the Italians time would have been given to Hitler to act and bring overwhelming numbers against it.

There are many instances of armles which have rushed for- ward, out-marched their sup plies and encountered fresh

defeated them.

such a defeat on the Greeks.

But a successful war is not.

for him to send into Albania fresh forces to readjust the balance in his favour, for his only port would be Santa Giovanni de Medici, in the northern corner of Albania.

Then, with a fairly short front resting on Lake Okhrida, in the east, and on the sea, in the west, the Greeks would be in a much better position to meet any even- tualities which might arise. — Reuter.

LESSONS OF NAZI AIR

SAVAGERY

Lessons learned from

forces of the enemy which then the raids on Southamp- In 1920 the Turks inflicted just ton, Coventry, Birming- ham, Bristol and else- where are being worked out and will be sent to every region in the coun- try.

made by blindly following rules and copying previous campaigns without regard to divergent cir- cumstances.

Many Examples

There are, if one seeks them,

The Home Secretary and Min- many examples of immense gains ister of Home Security, Mr. Her- which have been obtained from a bert Morrison, gave this assurance pursuit pushed forward relent during a speech at Southampton lessly and with the utmost vigour yesterday in which he also pald -decisive points seized and hos- tribute to the splendid fight put tile armies scattered and destroy-up by the Civil Defence Service ed; and there are also examples and the magnificent spirit of the of crushing victories, the full civil population under the city's fruits of which were lost because recent ordeal.

the victor had not pushed the "Grievous as the sufferings of pursuit with relentless energy: 'Southampton and other heavily In the first category, Napoleon's bombed towns have been," said pursuit of the Prussians after the Mr. Morrison, "we are trying to Battle of Jena is a classic exam-extract from them whatever ad-- ple.

vantage we can.

In a few weeks after the battle: the French were in Berlin and Prussia had fallen.

In the present, war we have seen the tremendous consequences of relentless pursuit giving the enemy no time to recover or use fresh bases in the German pur- suit of the French even as far as Bordeaux.

Second Category

It may be some consolation to people in bombed cities to know that every time this ordeal is - Inflicted the next occasion will be a little more difficult and "bur own work in countering the at- tack a little more effective." After expressing grateful appre ciation of the effective help ren- dered by the Army, in coping with. some recent problems arising from bombing Mr. Morrison closed with a tribute to the extraordinary va- lour of the Greek nation whose example "gives use a timely re- minder that courage, brains and inflexible determination can up- In both cases the French reset the calculations of a bully as covered and resumed the offen- unexpectedly and thoroughly alve, 19

David with his sling overthrew Many factors in the present, the clanking champion of the situation in Albania would urge] Philistines. British Wireless.

In the second category, Welling- ton Tost many fruits of his two greatest victories at Salamanca and Vittoria, by failing to pursue with sufficient energy. M

a vigorous pursuit.

Though lines of communication

are dificult and railways con- spicuous, only by their absence, a rush to decisive points should not put undue strain on transport.

Naval Aid

Ships of the Greek and British

MOBILE CANTEENS

as

.navies should be able to give most A sum of £1,500 has been re-

effective pssistance to an attack on. Valona and Durazzo: as soon

mitted by cable on behalf of this Colony towards the purchase of

'as the Greek land forces are Mobile Canteens, ALS

within striking distance.

These vehicles are greatly need-

if the Grook, command caned to carry food and comforts to capture these ports the results the bombed areas to serve the will be almost decisive as far homeless and desolate, the anti- as the war in Albania la con-aircraft defences, and various ser -perned.png E

vices engaged in rescue, work..

A great portion of the Italian army would be destroyed, being forced to surrender or die, Few could escape to the north

The B.W.O.F. appeals to the generous public of Hong Kong. for donations, Amounts so sub- scribed should kindly be sent to the Hon. Treasurer, B,W.OF., c/o The Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corpn., with instructions Despite Mussolini's boasts it to, car-mark such monies for the should be practically, imposable | purchase of "Moblie Canteens").

Il Duce's Boasts.

Four British · trawlers| and one drifter were re- cently lost through dam- age sustained by mine- sweeping.

An official Admiralty communi- que issued. In London yesterday. alluded to the fact that the Ger- man High Command lay con- tinual stress upon the mining of British ports."

These ports and their ap- proaches, stated the communique, are kept clear of mines from day to day by the tenacity and cour

of British mine-sweeping age

forces.

The enemy is using all man- ner of devices to prevent or hinder the sweeping of thess

mines.

Although the success of these devices has been limited and is likely to decrease, they impose losses like the above mentioned upon our sweeping forces.

The trawlers lost are the Ethel Taylor, Amethyst, Elk and Col- verton, and the drifter the Christ- mas. Rose,

There are no casualties in Amethyst and Elk. — Reuter,

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