CAB80-25 — Page 346

Page 346

290

1*' A

(a) Anti-Gas Stores.

The Greek demands apparently amount to the provision of full scale of anti-gas equipment for the whole of the Greek Army. Owing to our shortage, we are unable to meet more than about 20 to 25% of the demand for the bulk of the items.

(e) Medical Stores. Large quantities of medical stores are being provided partly by the British Red Cross Scoiety.

As regards hospital equipment we have so far provided about 33% of the requirements.

(f) Food and Forage.

Considerable difficulty

is being experienced in finding out what are the exact monthly requirements, and to separate civil and military requirements. Large quantities have been supplied

and it is understood that the bulk of the demands will be able to be met.

3.

Weapons and Ammunition.

K

(a)

These requirements fall under two headings ammunition required for maintaining existing weapons, and (b) demands for new weapons and ammunition.

(a)

Ammunition for Existing Greck Weapons.

As none of these weapons are of British pattern, it has been impossible to meet from the United Kingdom any of the demands, with the following exceptions:-

1.05 m. m. How. Ammunition.

7,000 rounds of this has

been supplied by General de Gaulle from French stocks in the United Kingdom.

(8 m.m. A.A. Guns. British fuzes can be used

for these, and 50,000 have been supplied.

$

It is impossible to divert manufacturing capacity

in the United Kingdom for the production of the various types of foreign ammunition required, and even if this were done, to our own detriment, the ammunition would not be forthcoming for many months.

The possibility of obtaining some of the ammunition from American stocks, and of manufacturing the remainder in America, has been considered.

The British Purchasing Commission have been able to obtain certain quantities of 81 m.in. mortar bombs, 57 m.m. field gun ammunition and 75 m.m. mountain gun ammunition from existing stocks, but it is unlikely that this ammunition can reach Greece until about two and a half months hence.

For the remainder, efforts are being made to ensure that the Greek munitions factory at Athens concentrates on the manufacture of certain types of ammunition only, for which the supply of raw materials is being facilitated, leaving the number of types to be manufactured in America as small as possible. It is, however, unlikely that new production in America can become effective until late in the year.

Page 346

-12-

Page 346

Page 346