Germans; "It Was Mass Slaughter"
London, Apr. 21.
NTRADICTING German claims to have smashed through to the plains of Thessaly, the latest reports received in London State that the Allied line in Greece remains unbroken despite continued furious assaults, and that these attacks have proved so costly that the Nazis have had to throw in still more reinforcements in mechanized units, infantry and aircraft.
'A Greek High Command communique is more emphatic on this point, declaring that at no point in Macedonia and Thessaly have the Germans penetrated the Allied line. It adds that intense rear-guard actions are in progress while the main Greek force continues its withdrawal to a shorter front.
The RAF. is continuing its sup-into crossing them, thus causing heavy port of the tand army by ceaseless casualties, German losses in the hammering of German supply bases IKachanik region before the Armistice and columns and by fighting off dive-wre said to have been 162 tanks de-Dombing attacks on Allied troops. stroyed, 41 damaged, 9,500 men killed The latest RAF. communique says Jand 20,000 wounded" that British planes without loss. to It appears that the Germans, me themselves destroyed ten enemy alr-stead of reducing their troops in raft during the week-end and dam.
Yugoslavia, have had to increase their deed many more. This total does not garrisons to maintain order, Include five German raiders shot 'The former pro-Axis Yugoslav down during attacks on Greek sea-wns and villages. Eager [Premier Mr, Tsvetkovitch, was seri iously wounded in the bombardment of crews bailing out, Belgrade, it is reported,—Reuter, Athens had seven alerts' yesterday, and German bombers at one time Mount Olympus Evacuated shine-gunned streets in the Athens Cairo, Apr. 21. rea.
The Greek High Command states The situation tu the Balkans that there was lively action by the stiN regarded here as serious. enemy alr force in Albania, where Mount Olympus, on the right dank enemy land attacks were repulsed lot the Allied line, was evacuated by with many casualties and the enemy [British troops before the Nazis took driven back beyond his original posi-1f, according to well-informed quar-ton. ters in Cairo, The operation was New Zealander's Story part of British retirement to a A young New Zealand officer who shorter line, which is proceeding cording to plan under heavy air and was in the fighting round Mount mechanized action, Olympus has described how on this front his men beat back a fierce German attack to force a vital passage.
At dawn, he said, the Germans launched their attack across a river, using rubber-boats" and parachutists and a barrage of covering fire from armoured cars.
After two hours the river was teeming with sunken boats. His men got sick of killing. It was mass slaughter, he added, had {as they came. each with eight men The parachutists, armed with tommy-guns. were driven back with tremendous losses, Meanwhile, resistance in Yugoslavia ig continuing. according to a report received in Berne from neutral diplomatic crieies. Snipers are taking toll of Isolated German patrols, and an armed band of 8000 men in the Fegion north-west of Skoplje is Aghtini its way south In an endeavour 10 Teach the Greek lines.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.