NO ABATEMENT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 May 1941, Page 5

NO ABATEMENT

IN FURY OF BATTLE FOR CRETE British Long-Range Fighters in Action TOLL TAKEN OF ENEMY TROOP-CARRIERS TOWNS SAVAGELY BOMBED BY NAZIS LOXDOX, May 25. Further successes by the R.A.F. against the enemy-occu-pied aerodrome at Malemi, in Crete, were announced in tonight s communique from the Middle East. British bombers and longrange fighters continued yesterday and last night heavy attacks on enemy positions and aircraft on tlie island. At Malemi Aerodrome, the only point where the Germans have gained a real hold, British planes destroyed one large aircraft and started a number of fires. In a daylight attack at least one enemy aircraft was destroyed and several others were damaged. British fighters harried enemy troop-carrying planes coming from the mainland. They were escorted by German fighters which tried to hold off the British planes. One British plane was shot down. The three principal towns in Crete were subjected yesterday to a mass bombing attack by German planes which continued increasingly from two in the afternoon to six in the evening. At Canea bombs were dropped indiscriminately across the centre of the town. Last night great fires raged in the town, but the casualties are not heavy, as the inhabitants sought shelter in a series of deep caves. The latest news of the land fighting in Crete states that it continues with ever-,increasing intensity. The King of Greece and his Government left Crete for Egypt last night in order not to handicap military operations. One of the first objectives of the German parachutists was the home of the King. Parachutists landed within a few hundred yards of the house and were engaged by Allied troops. A British general who has just returned from Crete said he thought it would be possible to hold Crete.

INVADERS CLEANED UP

EXCEPT AT MALEMI FIERCE BATTLE IN PROGRESS EAST OF AERODROME. NAZIS EMPHASISE SEVERITY OF FIGHTING. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON. May 25. It was authoritatively stated in London yesterday that Empire forces had cleaned up the Germans at Retimo and re-occupied both the town and aerodrome and the enemy had also been cleared from Candia. A fierce battle was in progress to the east of the Malemi aerodrome. A Berlin communique claimed that the western part of Crete was firmly in German hands. The Berlin correspondent of the Swiss newspaper, “Neue Zuericher.,” says that while the German public is still uninformed about the battle of Crete, military circles privately describe it as comparable only with the battles of the last war. They say it far exceeds any battle of the present war in severity and that the fighting in Greece and Yugoslavia made mere episodes compared with the resistance offered in Crete.

SECOND CONVOY SCATTERED. The fate of the second enemy convoy, which was attacked yesterday, is not yet known for certain. Not one ship reached the coast of Crete. Though the Navy could not chase the convoy right back to their bases, losses were inflicted, and, as already reported, an Italian destroyer was seen picking up survivors. One advantage possessed by the British naval forces in an attempt to prevent enemy landings by sea is that there are very few places in Crete where these landings can be successfully carried out. One is Heraclion (Candia) which has a quay 650 feet long, and another is Suda Bay, which has a concrete pier 720 feet long. Canea possesses two jetties, but ships cannot be brought alongside either of them. GERMAN CLAIM DAMAGE TO H.M.S. ARGUS. LONDON, May 24. The German news agency claims that the aircraft-carrier H.M.S. Argus, visibly damaged, has left, the eastern Mediterranean for Gibraltar accompanied by destroyers. A Royal Air Force communique states that South African fighters destroyed two Junkers 87's which were attempting to bomb shipping in the Mediterranean.