DODECANESE CAMPAIGN WAS DISMAL FAILURE

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5293, 4 January 1947, Page 3

DODECANESE CAMPAIGN WAS DISMAL FAILURE

. . . , . LONDOSv One of the tragedies of the war — the British -defeat on the Dodecanese islands of Kos and Leros in Novr ember, 1943 — is mentioned in FieldMarshal Lord Wilson's report 011 why Turkey stayed out of the war. The ill-fated Aegean operations, which resulted in -a complete "Orete victory" for the Germany army, caused a storm of protest in Britain. Lord Wilson, who was Com mander-in-Chief, 'Middle East, ;at the time, has revealed in >despatches just released that the Aegean operations were bound up with efforts to bring Turkey into the war. In the despatches Lord Wilson asserts that the improvised expedition Avas carried out "on orders from London." The fact that no air coiter would be available for the siiiall hardpressed British forces Avas apparently anticipated by GIIQ, Middle' East. The military correspondent of The Times comments that nothing in the despatches lessens the argument against the expedition or alters the view that it was a garnble hard to justify. "Rhodes was the key to the Aegean and the failure of the Italian commander to cop-operate with the British sould have been foreseen," adds the correspondeut.