Evening star., 1943-06-19
Axis Worried About
Mediterranean Moves
Major Eliot Discusses
Possible Attack on Rhodes,
At Mouth of Aegean Seq
BIZ Maj. George Fielding Eliot.

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By Maj. George Fielding Eliot.
Enemy news sources have been very
much agitated during the last few days
about signs of activity in the Eastern
Mediterranean. The closing of the
Turko-Syrian frontier by the British, the
silence of radio stations in Syria and
Palestine, the reported arrival in the
Middle East of troops from the Belgian
Congo Gen. Sikorskis statement about
the battle readiness of the Polish Army
in Iraq, all are instances suggesting that
something is about to happen in this
part of the world.
1t is possible that the Axis is getting
nervous about Rhodes Rhodes is a
good-sized island, the principal one
Of the Dodecanese group. 1t lies at the
mouth of the Aegean Sea, commanding
all access to that sea from Egypt and
the Levant. It has been in Italian hands
since 1912, and there have been reports
recently that German troops and air
forces have been added to its garrison.
If an Allied attack against Rhodes
were really in contemplation, 1t prob
ably would be based on Cyprus. Cyprus
is a much larger island which the British
have converted into well-armed mill
tary base with number of good air
fields. 1t lies about $50 miles east of
Rhodes and is in easy communication
with the ports of Syria, Palestine and
Egypt, from which it is supplied
The distance from Cyprus to Rhodes
is too great for efficient fighter opera
tions, so that it would seem that cover
for landing on Rhodes might have to
be supplied by carrier based planes.
However, attention may be invited to
the Island of Castelrosso, also nominally
part of the italian Dodecanese. This
island lies in an isolated position near
the Turkish coast about rs miles east
of Rhodes, and therefore about ITS miles
from Cyprus. 1t bears the same rela-
tionship In principle to an attack from
Cyprus against Rhodes that Pantelleria
bears to an attack from Africa against
Sicily-that is to say, it would make
useful advance base. 1t is a small Is
land, about 81 miles long by IL miles
wide, and so far as is known, possesses
no airfield. It's exposed position should
make its capture a comparatively easy
matter; there have been recent reports
that the Italians already are evacuating
it because of lack of water Castelrosso
has a good well-sheltered roadstead,
and 1t should be possible to improvise
airfields, either on Castelrosso itself or
on one Of the small low-lying islets i'm
mediately adjacent.
Rhodes itself might prove a hard nut
to crack. 1t is far larger than PAN
telleria, having total area of about $40
square miles. 1t Is As miles long and its
greatest width is a little over 20 miles.
The interior is mountainous, rising to
4,500 feet. In part it is heavily wooded.
The climate is good and the island pro-
duces fruits, vegetables and grain in
considerable quantities Unlike most of
the Aegean islands, Rhodes would be
very hard to starve out
The town of Rhodes. which is built
around the principal harbor of the is
land. is seriously exposed to air and
naval bombardment The harbor itself
would be extremely difficult to defend,
being located at the northeastern ex-
tremity Of the island and exposed to
attack from three sides.
But in the mountainous and wooded
interior, air support would count for a
good deal less and heavy fighting might
well be necessary to complete the con-
quest OF Rhodes if its garrison were to
make really stout t-hearted defense.
II Rhodes were to fall in Allied hands
1t would form an admirable advance base
from which the reduction of other
Aegean islands might be undertaken. It
also would be useful in attack on Crete.
Whether or not successful defense of
Rhodes could be made might depend
very largely upon whether the German
Luftwaffe is able to detach a consider
able part of its strength to the Aegean
Sea. There are many island air bases
now in Axis possession which would give
the Luftwaffe considerable facilities for
air operations in that area In addition
to these, the fact should be noted that
Rhodes is only 225 miles from the near
est point on the mainland of Greece.
However, it is doubtful whether the
Luftwaffe is now prepared to undertake
any new responsibilities of major caliber
especially in an area so distant from its
home bases. Perhaps an attack on
Rhodes might at least serve the purpose
OF testing out the willingness of the
German high command to take such
chances.
Copyright 1943, N. Y. Tribune. Inc)