The Greek Islands
The mainland of Greece having been lost, what about the islands which stud the Aegean Sea and constitute an archi- pelago? The Germans lost no time in seizing Samothrace, Which is close to the mainland in the north. Far more serious, they were allowed to take Lemnos, which has a good harbour and threatens the approaches to the Dardanelles. The long island of Euboea is so close to the mainland north of Athens that its occupation by an enemy holding Greece was inevitable ; and it may be that landings have been made on Andros and Tenos which prolong the slanting line of Euboea towards the south-east. But the Greeks and the British are in the large island of Cr ate, which is of first-rate importance for our fleet and Air Force operating in the Eastern Mediterranean. It is sincerely to be hoped that it will be held in force. Some 30o, miles farther east is the British island of Cyprus, another vital; point between the Aegean islands and Syria. The Italians already own and control the Dodecanese islands, which lie about half-way between Athens and Cyprus, or a third of the way from Athens to Syria. The enemy will endeavour to turn the Aegean into a German sea. But although it would be difficult for us to garrison and hold the thickly clustering Cyclades, we ought to be able to make it equally difficult for the Germans to hold them. These waters, with their many islands, undoubtedly suggest the possibility that the Nazis might try to use them . as stepping-stones for by-passing Turkey on the way to Syria. But we can make it extremely hazardous for them to attempt such operations. Crete is near at hand. The sea is our element. Any German garrison on any southern Aegean island should be in a precarious position. It is unfortunate that the Greek islands should have been seized at all, but that again was the result of German air-superiority, coupled with the fact that the British Navy was heavily occupied in guarding com- munications between Egypt and the Greek mainland. It has its hands freer now.
