The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-04-25
Mason Says
British Evacuation
OF Greece Believed
To Be Near Success
UP TO REAR GUARD

Dy }. ". 7. MASON
United rr~-s War Export
Indications from the Greek
battle front Thursday that
the British are holding new
defensive positions along a
shorter line imply that evAcu-
alton from rear coastal points
may be in process Of success
full accomplishment.
A short line. even without great
depth. might b. held for several
days, especially N the Germans
divert . considerable number 81
their planes from the fighting
front 10 search for AnGlo-Greek
evacuation craft.
N Ne new defensive posi-
aens wess ~ Athens can with
stand German pressure for the
neat few DAYS. n 10 possible
that moro Gre~k and British
troops might Get away thas
tAs original number u the
British enpeSiitieasry force
shst landed In G~ers.
Should that Be the eventual out
come u the fighting. General
Wsyen will recover more than his
Greek investment In man power
and the Greeks can continue to
battle the Germans In North
Africa. Such an sventuslity. how
ever. requires more powerful allied
resrgusrd resistance In the final
phase q the Greek struggle than
during the earlier retirements.
GREECE EVACUATION
BETTER THAN At DUNkIRW
The svscuations from Dunkirk
continued for nine days. during
which time SIS. 900 British and
French soldiers were rescued. The
maximum number taken off IN one
night 10 understood TO have been
about 90 900.
The removals were limited 10 the
beach between Dunkirk and la
Psnns. less than 10 milss. Tn,
number Of craft. u all Winds sssd,
70 not accurately known but prob
ably was about 1000 or q few
more
Conditions for svscastins Allied
troops from Greece are better In
some WAYS than at Dunkirk. There
ere more places for smbarhins
and the German troops. for the
present, are being held At mors
distant positions.
On the other hand. Ge~vusn
svtstcrs have gained IN espe-
rie0ce since Donkirk. They
are the principal obstacles IN
evacuation which the Aasle-
CREEKS must face.
However. rnce tho possfbis
exits from Greece are not as con
oentrsted ~ they verS along the
Dunkirk beaches. the Germans
must scatter their planes. Too
night smbsrkations must give un.
certainty among the German,
concerning the exact places 70 n.
tack.
GREEK FISHERMEN
EXPERIENCED sEAMEN
Th~ Greeks have large mum b~rs
u small boats. many OF then
fishing craft handled by ssp~ri.
enced sesmen. These little vessel,
were partly responsible for the
safe removal 81 Grves troop,
from salonika just before IN.
German occupation.
Though such . rs~eus fleet
might md II dangerous 10
er"~s the Mediterranean Ia the
Egyptian coast, n skousd -
comparatively easy sor NTH
boats 70 g.t te Crete, le~s
MAN one days voyage from
Atheas. Once IN Ovets, . more
beAssweay trsnsfs~ - Alss-
asdEta by larger ships skoull
offer few 1affiosaties.
In addition 10 this method "a
evacuation by stages. n 10 Ger
tain that the British hay~ man,
transports Of large size IN crs.l
waters n they offer TOO sag
targets for the German Al,
force while IN port. that nff.
Guilty could b. overcome By peat.
tsring them about the soith.rr
Aegean.
Small boats conveying svseu.e,
could meet the larger steamers a
prearrsnged places and transfer
the soldiers and rBeh equipment
~ could b carried IN the enn.
I ------------=---~-===