1941-05-01 — Page 1

Page

THE CHINA MAIL, MAY 1, 1941

WITHDRAWAL FROM GREECE EPIC

Mr. Churchill's Statement In The Commons

Complete Nazi Failure To Break Orderly Retirement

THE EVACUATION OF AT LEAST THREE-QUARTERS OF THE BRITISH TROOPS IN GREECE, THOUGH HEAVY EQUIPMENT:WAS! LEFT BEHIND, WAS DISCLOSED BY THE PRIME MINISTER, MR. WINSTON CHURCHILL, IN REPLYING TO A QUESTION IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS YESTERDAY.

ATLANTIC AIR SERVICE THIS SUMMER

It was officially announced in London yesterday (says Reu- ter) that the British trans-Atlantic air ser- vice will be resumed this summer for pur- poses connected with the wor.

"CONVOY

PATROL" BY R.A.F.

The R.A.F. has carried out constant convoy pa- trols over certain areas in the Mediterranean, it was officially announced in Cairo yesterday.

"

The Prime Minister declared: "Up to the moment when evacuation was seen to be inevitable, we had landed about 60,000 men in Greece, including one New Zealand and one Australian division. Of these at least 45,000 have been evacuated. (Cheers).

"Considering our Air Force was, through the superiority of the enemy force, compelled to leave the air fields from which it could alone effectively cover the retreat of the troops, and that only a small portion could be used to cover the points of embarkation, this must be considered remarkable.

"The conduct of the troops,

especially the

rearguard, in

Righting Summer

their way so many miles to the sea, merits the highest praise.

"IT IS THE FIRST INSTANCE WHERE AIR BOMBING, PRO- LONGED DAY AFTER DAY. HAS FAILED TO BREAK THE DISCIPLINE AND ORDER OF MARCHING COLUMNS, WHO, BESIDES BEING THUS ASSAIL-

Holiday

Decided

An official Government

ED FROM THE AIR. WERE statement in London yes- PURSUED BY NO LESS THAN terday on summer holi- says Government

THREE GERMAN ARMOURED

DIVISIONS. AS WELL AS THE days

WHOLE STRENGTH OF THE takes the view that for GERMAN MECHANISED FORCES

COULD BE purposes of efficiency in

WHICH

BROUGHT TO BEAR.

3,000 Casualties

in

war production and other essential business, the customary summer holiday, not exceeding one

"In the actual fighting, pri bally on Mount Olympus, round! Grevena and ht Thermopylae, week. should, in general,

to have be taken this year.

about 3.000 casualties, killed and Enemy aircraft attacks hove wounded, are reported been repeatedly repulsed, whús | been suffered by our troojës.

In some firms it may be better. | concentrations of enemy

"This was a very small part from the viewpoint of efficiency. and

on the to clase down for the holiday per- aerodromes

Inflicted at Derna ¿Cyrenaica were heavily raided un Monday 'night. Many bombs burst among dispersed aircraft.

planes

in

This action follows the straf.

of the losies

Germans who, on several occaid if advantage can be taken

The statement says holidays should be spread over the per-

slons, sometimes for two days at overhaul plant. a time, were brought to a stand-

oil by forces one-rth of their number.

ANY

lod May to October, Subject

"NOR DOES IT TAKE Ing by daylight of concentrations

to unforeseen circum-

of Junkers troop-carrying air-

ACCOUNT OF GERMAN, LOSSES | stances. Whit Monday holiday in Wales will not be craft

AS- England and at Benina aerodrome, INCURRED

THEIR IN where 110 ten were lined

up, SAULTS on Monday,

AND YUGOSLAV ARMIES. day in Scotland, though it will be

"I dare say it will be possible to necessary for people engaged also give a fuller account in the debate special urgent production to work

UPON THE GREEK cancelled, nor Victoria Day holi-

Benghazi harbour was raided and there were many ex- plosions.

next week but I think I have sait these days.-Reuter. enough to show that painful as

R.A.F. fighters continued to are our losses we have much to harass the enemy by low-level be thankful for and the Empire Imachine-gun attacks.

forces have much to be proud of." (Cheers).

Three enemy aircraft have been shot down by A.A. over Tobruk in the past two days.

L

GIBRALTAR

Within The Figure PREPARES

on

This is not a new type of train, but the queer" effect of ventilators placed in the roof tops of street shelters in South London. (Copyright, Fox).

IN CONFORMITY

WITH REQUEST OF GREECE

A LETTER FROM the Greek Government to the British Government was read by Mr. Anthony Eden, the Foreign Secretary, in the House of Commons yesterday, as follows:-

"The Greek Government, while express- ing to the British Government and the gallant Imperial troops their gratitude for the aid to Greece in defence against an unjust aggres- sor, are obliged to make the following state-

ment.

"After conducting a victorious "In these conditions, continua- struggle against strongly suppertortion of the struggle, while incap- enemy forces for more than sixable of producing any useful months the Greek army has now effect, would have no other re- reached the stage of exhaustion sult than to bring about the col- Enemy troop positions and When asked whether that meant Troopships escorted by and finds itself completely de-lapse of the Greek army and ammunition dumps were attack that 45,000 men had successfully

in-bloodshed useless to the Allied ed in the Undda area of Abyssi-reached their bases, Mr. Churchill two destroyers, which ar-prived of certain resources

dispensable for the pursult of cause. nia by South African 'planes. replied: "I believe that is so. In- rived at Gibraltar, have war, like munitions,

motorised Motor transport Was destroyed deed, I think I well within the

Vain: Sacrifice and heavy casualties

sailed again, according to vehicles and aeroplanes-resources caused Agure:"

with which it was inadequately among white and native troops. Replying to another query thean Algeciras despatch to supplied from the outbreak of "Consequently the Greek Gov-

Direct hits, were made on a Prime Minister said heavy equip Vichy.

hostilities.

ernment ale obliged to state building on Tandeso. aerodrome. ment could not, of course, be re-}

"This state of things makes it that further sacrifice of the Four 'planes are missing froin moved, but the Germans were not A sham air attack was made on impossible for the Greeks to con- British Expeditionary Force would these operations-Router.

short of heavy equipment--Reus Gibraltar on Tuesday night when tinue the struggle with any chance be in vain and its withdrawal, in ter,

'planes dropped sandbags repre- of success and deprives them of time seems rendered necessary senting bombs.

all hope of being able to lend by circumstances and by interests Last night long-range fring assistance to their vallant ally,'

common to the struggle." 33 practice was being "Yarried out from the northern front of the Rock-Reuter.}

QUAXER UNIT FOR

CHINA

NAZ! FREIGHTER'S CARGO

Greek Assistance

Three:Divisions: Still Fighting * Three divisions of British and Greek troops were still resisting Four members of a Quaker in. Peloponnesus, according to the ince unit, under the aus- Turin newspaper "Stampa" yes- of the British Red Cross, terday. by Peter Tennant, are leav- The paper says they occupy n ing England this week for Chung lino running across the centre of The German freighter Natal Ing for service as the Chinese the peninsula from "Agullinizza, which has arrived at Santos (Brh Government may think best. on the Ionian Sea, to Arco 11) from Hamburg, carried 2,502 north of Nauplie, and possess as tons of cargo, consisting largely of embarkation ports only Nauplle machinery and aeroplane parts prolong their own resistance for tribute can be too high for what and Malamata.

Reuter

The party numbers 40, and the remainder are following shortly

Reuter

"In view of the importance of the British contingents, in view of the aviation at their disposal,. and in view of the extent of the front. heroically defended by them, the Imperial forces absolutely need the assistance of the Greek army without which they could not

more than a few days;

Mr Philip Nool-Baken (Labu our) Raked. Mr. Edon to convey to the Greek Premier, Britain's '{ -deeps grafitudo for the magni- ficent gourage and endurance which the Greek army had shown and for their loyalty as allies, (Loud 'cheers), Mr. Eden Concurred and add- cd: "The whole House feels no they have achieved."Router.