Evening star., 1941-04-26
English Are Declared
Cought in Mountains
North of Thebes
D. the Associated Press.

D. the Associated Press.
BERLIN, April 26.-German
forces springing surprise by
making a "detour" down the
island of Evvoia (Euboea) and
then crossing to the mainland
behind the British in the region
of Thermopylae, have passed
through Thebes, and are con-
tinuing on to Athens, 80 miles
away, the high command an
nounced today.
German mountain and armored
units participated in the advance,
which resulted in the capture of
several hundred British troops and
30 guns. the high command said, and
In cutting off British units which re-
mained in the mountain defenses to
the north.
Authoritative sources said the rear
guard the British left to hold back
Nazi forces which smashed through
Thermopylae Pass had been given
a crushing defeat at Molos, on the
Gulf of Lamia.
Deny British Escape.
Authorized Germans said there
was no indication that the bulk of
the British Expeditionary Force had
escaped from Greece. They said it
usually takes three days for the
British defense force to retire from
one line to another and predicted
that those not captured within that
time still would be cut off from
escape by Stuka attacks at sea.
1t was reported here that fast
motorized troops were used in the
dash down Evvoia and that they
crossed to the island from Thessaly
and fought their way down until
they were behind the British line.
BY striking inland on the penin-
sula from Khalkis to Thebes and
beyond the Germans said they cut
the road to Athens and shut the
door for retreat on whatever British
forces still we're to the north.
Gn Athens the Ministry Of
Home Security last night said
that a Nazi attack on the island
of Evvoia was beaten off,
Island Seizure Confirmed.
The high command confirmed re-
ports that German forces had taken
possession of the islands of Thasos,
Samothrace and Lemnos in the
Aegean in mid-April.
Samothrace is few miles north
west of the entrance to the Darda-
nelles, Lemnos is about 40 miles to
the Southwest and Thasos is about
seven miles off the coast of Grecian
Thrace east of Salonika.
The navy co-operated with the
army in occupying the islands and
~subduing enemy resistance" the
daily communique said.
In the pounding of the means of
exit from Greece of the British Ex-
peditionary Force, the Luftwaffe de-
stroyed IL merchant ships totaling
$4,000 tons Thursday, the high COM
mand said, and badly damaged an
additional II ships.
Yesterday, the high command
added, a merchantmen of 5000 tons
was sunk, four large ships were
badly damaged and numerous
coastal vessels set afire.
The reported destruction of SIS
British planes on Greek airports
yesterday was believed to have set
a record for the Greek campaign.
Fighting Is Bitter.
Military observers commented on
the bitterness of the fighting they
said preceded the capture Of
Thermopylae Pass by German
ground troops driving toward
Athens.
These sources, pointing out that
the terrain in the historic pass
favored the defenders, said the Ger
mans had to charge up steep hill
sides which guard the pass.
The battle was described as one
in which mechanical units were
able to give relatively little assist
ance to the infantry. There was
no indication of the amount of losses
at Thermopylae. but the Germans
have said their losses in previous
phases of the Greek campaign were
few.
Whether Athens is taken today,
tomorrow or next week is of no
military Importance, it was said,
because the King and government
already have left and the city will
be taken when the time Is ripe"