MANY CAPTURES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 May 1941, Page 5

MANY CAPTURES

OF ENEMY PARACHUTISTS LAND FIGHTING AT SOME POINTS. CRETE’S FIERCE “HOME GUARD.” (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON. May 21. It is learned from an authoritative source in London that the enemy in Crete are not in control of any large area, though some of the parachute troops may be fighting at certain points. There is every reason to believe that large numbers of the enemy have been captured alive. Some of the troopcarrying planes may have landed on aerodromes over which the enemy had temporary control. The estimated figure of 7000 airborne troops which landed in Crete yesterday does not include the large number of parachutists who were dropped. Crete's “Home Guard” has helped to repel the Germans’ attack (states a Press Association message). It is probably the fiercest and most bloodthirsty Home Guard that can be rallied anywhere in the world, and is composed chiefly of Cretans who have been taught from their childhood how to meet the constant necessity of fighting for their homes. The warlike hillmen have such leaders as “Captain Holy George,’ who is credited with killing 10 soldiers before he reached manhood, and also “Captain Satan,” a blackbearded giant who fights with a long knife. Their men gave a most unpleasant welcome to any parachutist who is caught unawares at night, and in addition they are providing a valuable inteligence service for General Freyberg. A Briton who recently left Crete says the whole island has been picketed, and every mountain crag has its sentinels. The island was on the alert for weeks in readiness for the present attack, and every parachutist would be a marked man from the moment he arrived. A comprehensive system of signalling between all the different posts had been completed in time. GERMAN BOAST. In Berlin today military authorities issued a statement describing the offensive against Crete, for which every preparation had been made, including every kind of weapon, as the commencement of a decisive battle for the Suez Canal. It was added that the High Command was absolutely su-e that Crete would be conquered in the next few hours.