Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-04-22
Army 30 Mi.
From Athens,
Berlin Says
BY PIERRE j. HUSS
IntI News Service stan CorresponSezs


BERLIN, April 22.-At least 20.s
900 weary soldiers of the British
Expeditionary Force, fleeing from
Greece in the face of surrender
or drown" ultimatum, have been
lost aboard n fully laden troop
transports sunk or damaged by
the Luftwaffe in tire Aegean Sea,
German military officials claimed
today.
The Nazi high command an
nounced capture of the Greek rail-
road city of Lama and the stra-
tegic eastern port of Volos BY
Panzer units and announced that
Yanina had been reached in the
west. trapping Greek troops at
tempting to hold out against the
Italians driving south from the
Albanian frontier. LAMA is about
80 miles northwest of Athens.
british imperial forces In
Greece have occupied defensive
positions south of Lamia, the
British Middle East command
announced today in Cairo)
80 MILES FROM ATHENS
A rapid-fire series of announce
ments dealing with new German
successes included a report that
some Nazi soldiers are less than
80 miles from Athens A mighty
battle for Piraeus, the port Of
Athens, which may climax the
Greek campaign, appeared imnli-
nent.
German troops are moving
swiftly through the Attic PENN
sula, authentic quarters said. and
are approaching the gates OF
Athens in solid 'front.'" Nowhere
is anything but rear guard fighting
being encountered, It was said.
Military experts expressed BELIEF
that the city of Thebes has prob
ably already been reached.
The luftwaffe is pounding troops
transports and retreating troop
columns wherever they appear, It
was said.
German forces apparently hope
to isolate Athens itself from the
fighting zone unless the British
entrench themselves in the historic
capital of Attic culture.
Thus far, however. the British
retreat in general has pointed to-
ward Piraeus, which lies seven
miles southwest of the capital.
Information flowing into q jubf-
liant Berlin told of incessant ham,
mering by the Luftwaffe against
British troop transports loaded to
the gunwales in the area Of the
Talauta channel, east of Lamia.
10000 CASUALTIES
This wide body of water sepa-
rates the Island of Euboea from
1.-THE Greek mainland and emptiee
into the Aegean at the Gulf Of
battalion.
At least Is British ships have
been sent to the bottom in this
area thus far, it was said, and six
others heavily damaged. AL were
loaded with evacuated British
troops and military officials had
no hesitancy in estimating that
casualties number at least 10000.
German forces along the whole
Greek front are in rapid pursuit
of the enemy. it was said. The
Wilhelmstrasse scoffed at British
reports that German units had
been decimated in suicidal" Of
fensives at Mt. Olympus and else
where.
According to the high command,
the main road of retreat for
Greeks fighting on the Italian
front was cut off when Yanina was
reached by panzer units.
Lamia was taken by Nazi forces
pushing down from Larissa, Volos
was captured when strong enemy
resistance was broken down, Il
was said, and with each mile Of
advance the Germans destroyed
roads. and bridges.
BATTLE SEEN AT PIRAEUs
Advanced German forces, ac-
cording to authoritative Berlin
circles. are driving a spearhead
toward the Aegean Sea southwest
of Athens. =
BY this maneuver. II was stated
the Germans are trapping units 81
the British Expeditionary Forca
for final struggle at Piraeus.
The forthcoming battle, German
quarters declared, will occur BE-
tween advancing German troops
and remnant" of the British
Expeditionary Force. which wss
described as now engaging IN .