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9. Time factor
An effective air defence would require at least five "groupes" (i.e. 60 guns) of 75 mm. A.A. Guns.
(a) The French estimate that it would take the Germans months rather than weeks to reach Salonike.
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(b) Assuming zero day to be the day on which the Allies decide to send a force to Salonika the advance parties and certain A.A. units would be landed about D. 8-10, and the main landing would begin about D.20. One
division would complete landing by D.30, and the whole force would be landed by D.74.
(d) No British A. A. units can be made available except from France. The French units available could only provide a very low scale of defence insufficient even to protect the base port.
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(a) The possibility of Yugo-Slav acquiescence in a demand by Germany for free passage cannot be disregarded. Even if she fights, her resistance might be quickly overcome.
(b) No comments.
(a) The F nen can supply the following air defences: initially: 1 'groupe" (12 guns) of heavy A.A. Guns.
1 battery (& guns) 25 mm. per division.
50 20 mum. Oerlikon equipments.
(a) The French Representa- tives suggest that, if deened desirable, conversa- tions should be opened between the French authorities and the Yugo- Slav High Command to arrange for collaboration between the two in the preparation of a plan for the employment of Allied Forces in advance of
Salonika or at Salonika itself, and of a plan for carrying out demolitions in Yugo-Slavia these plans to be drawn up by joint agreement.
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10. Shipping.
(a) For the transport of three divisions and stores from Syria and a fourth division and stores from North Africa or France, French calculate that 20 liners and 16 cargo vessels will be required.
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(b) For the movement of the base personnel and A.A. defences, in the preparatory stage 3 or 4 ships will be required and will be requisitioned from any available source, such as ships in harbour at the moment.
(a) Information is not avail- able to confirm these figures. No mention is made by the French of the tonnage required for subsequent maintenance. British estimate for the main- tenance of one division from Marseilles to Smyrna is fifty thousand tons of shipping.
The possibility of sufficient tonnage not being available simul- taneously for Scandinavian and
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