ITALIAN FORCES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 132, 4 May 1940, Page 7

ITALIAN FORCES

ISLANDS IN AEGEAN. ALLIED FLEET READY. REACHES ALEXANDRIA. (United Press Association—By Electric Teiegfaph—Copyright.) Received May 4, 10.30 a.m. ATHENS, May 3. Italian troops, warships and fighters are concentrating on the Dodecanese Islands, especially at Rhodes. From 50,000 to 55,000 Italian troops have reinforced ihe normal Dodecanese garrison. Fifteen submarines are reported to be at Rhodes. There is an ominous assembly of significant reports from the eastern Mediterranean to-night. Although lacking an official character, they emphasise the delicacy of the situation. Italy is reported to be massing troops and warships and aircraft in the Dodecanese Islands, coinciding with the arrival of strong squadrons of the Allied fleets at Alexandria. Italy is reported to have 1,200,000 under arms, excluding reinforcements in the Dodecanese. Alexandria is in a state of absolute readiness. The coa’stal batteries are manned and military flying has been restricted. The air force will be ready for an instant call. Army and police leave lias been stopped. Other precautions include a desert air watch, which is a chain of lonely Egyptian Army sentinels. linked by telephone from the western frontier of Egypt to tte Nile Delta. The black-out is continuing in Malta. Allied warships, states a Daventry message, have arrived at Alexandria, the ships’ complements having. “their coats off,” apparently ready for action. This is stated to be only the first contingent. Smaller craft are expected to arrive on Sunday.The Dodecanese Islands comprise the twelve islands of the Aegean Sea, which aro under Italian rule. Rhodes is sometimes included. The total population is about 80,000, mostly Greeks.