Athens Liberated
Unbounded enthusiasm from the population, of liberated Athens greeted the British forces which arrived there on Saturday and subsequent days—the parachutists and glider-borne troops which descended on an airfield near the city, and the troops which were landed from warships at the Piraeus. The Land Force Adriatic, which had occupied Corinth, also pushed on to Megara, and linked up with parachute troops who had landed at its airfield. The whole or Attica is now free, and such German troops as remain south of Salonica are endeavouring to escape, and from Salonica itself evacua- tion is proceeding. The islands of Corfu and Naxos are liberated, and with British warships and aeroplanes patrolling the Aegean in force, it should not be long before the liberation of the Greek islands is complete. And now begin other and very urgent tasks for the British Commander, the Greek Government, some members of which have now arrived in Athens on a Greek war- ship, and UNRRA. Beneath the exuberant joy of the liberated people lies profound suffering caused by years of hunger, poverty and oppression. First must come food, medical comforts and clothing, and then other supplies of many kinds to take the place of what has been stolen, destroyed or worn-out. Greek currency has become valueless. Trade is almost at a standstill. The con- ftsion of politics must not be allowed to stand in the way of the ordered government which is indispensable to rehabilitation. The people of Greece today are full of gratitude and friendliness to Great Britain. We, equally, owe a debt to them for their splendid stand in the past and their courage in the period of occupation.
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