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5.

Although captured Italian equipment can only be regarded as a temporary solution of the Greek problem, there is no doubt that the quantity of arms and ammunition which General Wavell is sending to Greece is considerable, as shown in Appendix B attached, This takes no account of course, of material captured by the Greeks themselves in Albania,

60

The only further step which on all grounds appears most undesirable, which could be taken to provide immediately additional artillery weapons for the Greeks would be to take them from existing units (or from immediate production) either at home or in the Middle East. On the basis that either 72 Field Guns and 16 Mediums or 144 Field Guns and 32 Mediums would have to be sent, the effect on our own forces is shown in Appendix C.

from

170 Although the sea voyage from England is much longer it would certainly be preferable to provide 75 m.m. England than 25 pdr. from the Middle East, as the Greeks already possess weapons of the former type, but from the point of view of home security we are not in a position to spare guns at the present time.

8.

With regard to the Greek Prime Minister's statement that little has been done to improve the position, it should be realised that we have had the greatest difficulty in finding out what the Greek requirements are, and in obtaining accurate specifications both here and in the U.S.A. Immediately we have had accurate demands we have, at considerablo sacrifice to our own needs, met them as far as possible.

92

The Groeks seem to have ignored completely the time factors involved, ie, the time taken to change over to specialised production different from that to which we have been working and the time taken to make effective deliveries in Greece, The angwer to a very large number of Greek demands is that manufacture is only feasible in U.S.A. and so far as we are concerned the British Purchasing Commission has been urged contimally to do what they can with the U.S.A. authorities,

War Office, S.W.1.

10th February, 1941.

-2-

(Signed)

G.N. MACREADY,

A.C.I.G.S.

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APPENDIX A.

COMMENTS ON SCHEDULE ATTACHED TO GREEK MINISTER'S LETTER OF 7TH FEBRUARY, 1941.

Demanded by Greek Prime Minister

1. AMMUNITION

(a) 75/19 m.m.

400,000 rds H.E.