EMPIRE AIRMEN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 December 1940, Page 5

EMPIRE AIRMEN

ADDITIONAL NUMBERS GOING TO GREECE MANY DEMONSTRATIONS OF GRATITUDE. ENEMY FORCES HARRIED RELENTLESSLY. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, December 1. The Athens correspondent of the British United Press states that the ißrtish air support for Greece is increasing by the addition of more New Zealand and Canadian pilots. The Greeks fete the British in the restaurants and women embrace them spontaneously. The presence of British figliters in any part of the front ensures the almost automatic disappearance of Italian dive-bombers.

Brtiish anti-tank guns have also been used by the Greeks- and have been most successful on the coastal sector. Mussolini's invasion road is strewn with tanks and overturned lorries and also uniformed bodies lying in ditches awaiting burial. Many Italians have surrendered in the Epirus region in the last few days and more munition dumps have been captured. The prisoners are made to transpore the material to the rear

The Allied bombers harass the Italian reinforcements from the mainland and fighters are also flying in the valleys only a few hundred feet over the heads of the struggling Italian forces smashing bridges, supply columns and bases.

Greek warships have shelled Stranda. Escort planes circled overhead but were not needed as neither Italian planes nor warships were seen. The Italian air force continues the raids on Corfu and medical supplies are being sent by plane. Foreign women are helping in the hospitals throughout Greece. The Australian Government is sending blankets and raw wool for army equipment. Today the King and General Metaxas were present at a dinner in celebration of Mr. Churchill’s birthday. British and Greek pilots also attended.

A 8.8. C. broadcast reports that in heavy lighting in the coastal zone in Epirus, an Italian tank attack was defeated with the aid of British anti-tank guns which were rushed to Greece in the opering days of the war.