KING’S DEPARTURE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 May 1941, Page 5

KING’S DEPARTURE

MESSAGE TO THE GREEK PEOPLE ESCAPE FROM PARACHUTISTS. ■ PARTY TAKES TO HILLS. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) LONDON, May 26. The Greek King and his Ministers have arrived in Egypt after escaping from the German parachutists and air attacks in Crete. During a 72 hours’ journey over rugged mountains, the Royal party slept in caves with shepherds. They were fired on by Greek patrols who mistook them for German parachutists, but none were injured. King George, in a message which he has issued to the Greek people, has disclosed that the houses occupied by himself and' the Prime Minister of Greece, M. Tsoiideros, were among the first objectives of the German parachutists, and one of the first flights landed within a few hundred yards ol the two houses. Fighting began immediately. "We became separated from our troops, and it was also impossible to keep in touch with the military and civil authorities, for which reason it was necessary for us to withdraw from Crete in order to frustrate the enemy plans,” the King's message states. "With profound regret we decided to leave the heroic island while the Allied forces and also all Cretans, irrespective of age, continued to figni with the most admirable courage against the unsuccessful attacks of the enemy, who has been using with his usual ferocity every mechanised device at his disposal. GENERAL FREYBERG'S ADVICE. "I am convinced that it is in the interests of the whole Greek nation that our lawful Government should continue to function in the closest collaboration with the British Government. In the final victory the honour awaiting you, people of Crete, will be great, because you are the last glorious rampart of the Greek nation. All the Greeks throughout the world are watching you in the white mountains of Crete with confidence and admiration.” Major-General Freyberg advised the King to leave Crete before the German attack, but the King insisted on remaining till the last possible moment. The King left Crete on May 23, t.nd his party included the British Ambassador, Sil' Michael Palairet, and Lady Palairet, and members of the Britisn Legation from Greece, Major-General Heywood, head of the British military mission to Greece, and Colonel J. S. Blunt, military attache to Greece. Colonel Blunt then took up the story. "The King occupied a house commanding a wide view of the countryside. His guard consisted of an escort ol Greek gendarmerie, and a platoon of New Zealanders under the command of Second Lieutenant W. H. Ryan. The platoon had been in action in Greece from the start of the Balkan campaign. A RUDE AWAKENING. "They were aroused by the roar of a squadron of Messerschmitts overhead, and King George. Prince Peter, and the Prime Minister come out to watch them. The remainder of the party, including the Governor of the Bank of Greece, and the Prime Minister's secretary, were in another house in the village. Bombers followed the Messerschmitts, bombing targets where they thought there were troops. "Then, coming through the smoke of the bombardment from the north, we saw a very large force of aeroplanes, and took cover in trenches. Large gliders appeared over the house, circling for a long time. "We did not see them land, though others landed later at the bottom of the King's garden. 11 was clear that a landing was going to be made, and shortly afterward we saw troop-carry-ing planes Hying very low in chains of three from Ihe west. They seemed endless. Then parachutists started dropping.” Coloncd Blunt continued. "A com-